A New Life
by JibbsGal1
Summary: Gibbs finally takes a long awaited vacation, but something - or someone - happens to change everything.
1. Chapter 1

Title: A New Life

A/N: This takes place about a year after Judgment Day. It will have multiple chapters. I'm not sure how many yet or how quickly I will get them up. I hope you enjoy reading this at least half as much as I enjoy writing it.

I don't own the NCIS characters, yadda, yadda, yadda.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It seemed to be just another day at NCIS. Gibbs and his team had caught yet another bad guy and were writing up their reports. The only thing different was that Gibbs wouldn't be coming back tomorrow.

"So, Boss, you still haven't told us where you're going on your two-week vacation. Will bikinis be involved?" inquired Tony, while smiling his usual Cheshire grin.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs glared at one very special agent DiNozzo.

"Right. None of my business. Can't blame a guy for wanting to live vicariously through someone lucky enough to take a vacation," Tony said.

Ziva shook her head, alerting Tony to the fact he may have said the wrong thing.

"You really have a problem with my leaving for the first time in over three years, DiNozzo?"

McGee couldn't resist smirking at Tony's discomfort.

"Course not, Boss. I guess I'm just tired. Saying things I don't mean."

"I could arrange for you to get a permanent vacation, if that's what you want," growled Gibbs.

"Won't be necessary," cowered Tony.

Gibbs grabbed his finished report and ran up the stairs to the Director's office.

"Here's the report on the Johnson case. I'm done," Gibbs announced.

Leon leaned back in his chair, chewing on his toothpick. "So I guess this means you're free to go. Whatever will we do without you?" he said, mocking.

Gibbs' lips turned up into a tiny smile. "Bet you can't wait to find out."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The next morning, Gibbs was at Dulles International Airport, awaiting his flight when he saw someone familiar.

"Well hello, stranger," he greeted the tall gentleman in uniform. Both men smiled and shook hands.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Gunny, are you on this flight?" Gibbs nodded. "You know, I'm going to be your pilot."

"Again?" Gibbs laughed. "Daniel, you know I'd fly anywhere with you."

Daniel looked around and then asked, "Are you by yourself? YOU? What, no future ex-wife traveling with you?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Just me."

"Where are you sitting, Gunny?"

Gibbs showed Daniel his ticket. The pilot grabbed it and went up to the counter where he spoke with one of the attendants. "Are there any upgrades left? I'd like my friend here in first class." The woman nodded, reissued the ticket and handed it back to Daniel.

The pilot walked back to Gibbs and handed him the ticket. "Visit me in the cockpit when you get in there."

Gibbs smiled and shook Daniel's hand before watching him get on the plane. This vacation was already shaping up to be a good one.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Once on the plane, Gibbs settled into his seat in the back of First Class. As the plane began boarding the other passengers, he decided to make his way up front to the cockpit. He was about to speak with the flight attendant when he saw them preparing to remove the drink cart. Needing to get out of the way to let it pass, he stepped into the first row of seats. The attendant was called into the cockpit so he found himself trapped. Uncomfortable standing, he quickly sat down in the empty chair when he noticed another passenger seated next to him. She was facing the window, wearing a baseball cap that was covering her blonde hair, pulled up into a simple ponytail.

"Sorry to bother you; I'll get up as soon as they move the cart," he said.

The woman didn't say a word; he simply saw her do her best to scoot as close to the window as she could. _What is happening outside that is so darn fascinating? _Having nothing else to do, he looked at the woman and studied her small frame. He appreciated the way her low-rise dark jeans hugged her curves, the way her green blouse didn't cover her backside completely and was riding up, revealing a little bit of skin at the small of her back. He smiled to himself as he gazed upon it - that is, until he saw something that had him freeze on the spot, his heartbeat racing to the point the thought it would leap out of his chest. He felt himself having trouble catching his breath.

Gibbs saw that she had a birthmark, a little star, on her left side. He remembered the last time he saw a birthmark just like it. But that woman was dead. Could two women have the exact same birthmark in the exact same spot?


	2. Chapter 2

Title: A New Life

A/N: This will have a special guest crossover, but I'll explain that at the end.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Could two women have the exact same birthmark in the exact same spot?

He knew it couldn't be a certain redhead he once loved, but the investigator in him had to find out for sure. It took Gibbs a few seconds to find his voice. "Jen?"

He saw the woman's back straighten and heard her breath catch. He wasn't sure how his heart could race even faster and yet it did. But the woman wouldn't budge.

He didn't care if she thought he was crazy or rude, but he wasn't going to let her ignore him. He grabbed her left arm above the elbow and quickly turned her towards him. She was wearing oversized sunglasses. He went to take them off when her sharp reflexes grabbed his hand.

"Don't."

Gibbs didn't recognize her voice but she could have been altering it, trying to avoid detection. _Avoid detection? From me? Why? _"If you want me to go away, then just take them off," he said.

All of a sudden, Gibbs felt a hand on his chin, turning his face toward the aisle, or rather toward a woman standing in front of him with her other hand on a gun.

"Get off of her, _now_."

Gibbs looked up at the blonde woman standing in front of him. She was obviously in law enforcement. "Time to move. You're in my seat."

Gibbs glared at the woman. "I'm not going anywhere until I'm ready. Plan to shoot me in a crowded airplane?"

"I just might. Who are you?"

"You first," insisted Gibbs.

"Doesn't work that way. Do I have to get the pilot to remove you? He's a Navy man. I'm sure he could take you."

Gibbs smirked and then drawled, "You can try."

"Watch me," said the woman with the gun.

"Don't bother, Mary." Gibbs nearly got whiplash turning to the origin of that voice. The voice he'd longed to hear for the last year. The woman removed her sunglasses, revealing the emerald eyes a person could lose themself in. That he could lose himself in. And had. "I know that look. He probably used to serve with the pilot."

Gibbs would have grinned but he was still in shock. It was one thing to suspect this woman was Jenny. It was quite another to have all doubt removed.

Mary shot Jen her own version of the death glare. "What are you doing, Catherine?"

Gibbs looked at her, confused. "Catherine?"

"The name you said before - never utter it again." She reached to shake his hand. "Hi, my name is Catherine Jones." She glared at him, willing him to understand.

Mary looked at Catherine, exasperated. "Who is he?"

Catherine sighed. "Mary Shannon, U.S. Marshal - yes, that's her real last name - meet Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

Mary took one look at Gibbs, looked back at Catherine, obviously having heard about him, said simply, "Oh crap."

Gibbs looked up at Mary. "8B."

"What's that?"

"Your new seat."

Catherine shot Mary a pleading look. Mary rolled her eyes and headed towards her new seat.

Catherine went to put her glasses back on but Gibbs silently asked her not to do it. She looked around nervously and motioned for them to trade seats so she'd have her back to the rest of the plane. Once she was settled, Catherine noticed that Gibbs was staring at her. The intensity in his eyes unnerved her.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" he asked.

"Stop looking at me like that. You're making me feel… naked."

He sighed. "I'm scared to look away, scared this is all a dream and that you'll disappear."

"You say that almost like you care."

His eyes went wide with indignation. "What the heck is that supposed to mean? Of course I care!"

She tried to search his eyes for the truth. She asked him a question she obviously already knew the answer to: "Did you get the letter I wrote?"

His eyes narrowed. "The Dear Jethro and nothing else letter? Yeah, I found that." He watched as her whole body visibly sunk, a realization having washed over her - one that did not make her happy. "What?"

"So Mike never gave you a letter from me."

Anger began to course through Gibbs. "No. You left a letter for me?" He noticed that Catherine took a moment to absorb this - and the sadness that overtook her as well as the conflict within. "Why wouldn't he give it to me?"

"Because I told him to only give it to you if you seemed upset, if you looked like you needed closure. He had further instruction to tell you the truth if it seemed like you were completely overwhelmed by it. It's not like I thought _that _would happen but I thought you'd have been upset enough to at least warrant the letter." She saw confusion in his eyes. "I guess you weren't," she said sadly. "This was a huge mistake, Jethro. Please go and let Mary have her seat back."

Before Catherine was able to put her dark glasses back on, Gibbs noticed tears forming in her eyes. His heart was ripping apart, seeing her cry. He was completely overwhelmed with questions but one thing he knew for certain - he wasn't going anywhere.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: Mary Shannon is from the show "In Plain Sight" - a show about her and her work as a U.S. Marshall involved in the Witness Relocation program.


	3. Chapter 3

"How dare you judge me? You weren't there, J - I mean… Catherine. Look at me, please."

Gibbs felt like he was drowning. He had to make her understand, even if it meant talking - communicating - something he was never comfortable doing.

"We have four hours. Do you really plan on ignoring me for the entire flight?" he asked, almost begging.

Catherine sighed. "Just go back to your seat. I told you - this was a mistake. You were never supposed to see me again. Go back, live your happy life - one that doesn't have me in it."

Her words tore through his heart - not just because they were wrong and hurtful to him but because he could see she truly believed what she was saying. He knew he had to say something grand, something to pierce through the wall she was hiding behind.

"What kind of happy life do you think I can have if you're not in it?"

Wow. He hadn't planned it. It sort of slipped out as if it had a life of its own. But it worked. He saw her breathing speed up, her chest was going up and down pretty fast. He didn't need to feel her pulse to know it was racing right alongside his own. She took off her sunglasses and slowly turned to look in his eyes, searching to see if he was being sincere. It was time for Gibbs to go for broke.

"You honestly think your death wouldn't _affect_ me? So in your eyes - or Mike's for that matter - if I'm not crying every second or passed out, surrounded by five empty Bourbon bottles, then I'm not upset? Is that what you're saying?"

"I… I don't know. I wasn't there," Catherine said softly.

"That's right. You weren't. J - arggh - Cat, can I call you Cat?" he spat, obviously incredibly frustrated by the situation.

"I guess," she offered up honestly.

"Great. Cat, you weren't there. I had a case to solve, I had an entire team looking to me to be their strength, to lead them. I am their _leader_. I can't fall apart."

Cat looked at him, mesmerized by his words, by the emotion he was revealing. She was a bit in shock.

Gibbs continued, feeling like he was dancing for his life. "I did just that after Shannon and Kelly, but I didn't have anyone else counting on me back then. And I knew what that was like. I knew if I faltered, if I allowed myself to feel anything, show any emotion - then I wouldn't be able to stop diving off that cliff of despair until I was completely destroyed."

Cat sat back a second, taking a deep breath, unable to resist the comment that was about to escape her lips. "Cliff of despair? Really, Jethro? I mean, really?" She wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow before smiling.

Gibbs was incredulous. "I open my heart to you and reveal how I truly felt and you're making fun of me?" But he was pleased that his mission was accomplished. She was talking to him again. She even smiled. And that smile lit up his world. He knew she had as hard a time with emotions as he did, so he understood her attempt to lighten things up.

He pretended to be hurt. "See if I ever make that mistake again."

Cat smiled and reached for his hand. "Come on. Don't say that. What you said actually makes some sense, even if it was way more intense than I expected. It means so much to me to hear you say that. You made me feel like I really did matter."

He cupped her face in his hands and brought her close to him. "You did. You always did. You still do. You always will."

He felt her relax in his hands, as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. She closed her eyes, leaning into his right hand. She then reached for his hands and removed them gently from her face. She held them in front of her, kissing them before returning them to him.

He almost said her real name again before stopping himself and decided he was better off not using any name. As he was about to speak, Cat placed her finger over his lips.

"Thank you, Jethro. You really have no idea the gift you've given me today. It will give me the strength to go on, to do what I need to do."

"Which is what?" he asked.

She saw the confusion in his eyes. She reached her hand up, stroking the right side of his face gently, running her perfectly manicured fingers down his cheek. He closed his eyes, drinking in her touch, something he thought was lost to him forever. He'd almost forgotten that he'd asked her a question.

"To live out my life as Cat Jones, while you return to your life at NCIS and catch the bad guys," she smiled, sadly. "Now that I know I really did mean something to you, that it wasn't all in my head, well…"

He looked at her, trying to sort out in his head what she was trying to say. "Am I expected to go back to D.C. as if this never happened, and forgot that I've seen you? Is that what you're saying?"

She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out the best way to answer him. "You say that like you were expecting a different outcome. What scenario were you playing out in your head?"

He was overwhelmed, like she was being pulled out of his life again and he had no power to stop it from happening. "What scenario? The scenario where you never leave my world again," he said, almost desperate.

His plea, his eyes, were ripping at her soul. Here he was, the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs, finally saying the words to her she had waited four years to hear him say, since the day she walked back into his life and assumed the Director of NCIS position. But now, the situation was an impossible one. And somehow she had to find the strength to tell him just that. "Damn," was the only thing she managed to say.

He turned her face back to look at him. "If there is one thing I've learned from what happened to you, is that I don't want to live in a world without you in it. I can do it. I can function. But it sure wasn't living. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd ever get the chance to tell you what I should have told you the moment I saw you again."

Their eyes locked as he finally said the words he'd longed to say and she longed to hear.

"I love you."

"Oh crap. Gibbs, anyone ever tell you your timing sucks?" Mary said, exasperated.

Gibbs glared at her and said through clenched teeth, "Right back at you, Mary."


	4. Chapter 4

"I knew it was a bad idea to leave you two alone."

Mary Shannon looked down at Catherine Jones, a woman whose safety had been her responsibility for the past year. She then turned her attention to the greatest threat they'd come across - one Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He was the only person from her past that Catherine spent any time talking about. And Mary knew he was the one person who could take her charge's eyes off the prize.

Gibbs stood up to face Mary eye-to-eye, glare-to-glare.

"8B. You're supposed to be in 8B," he said as he pointed to the back row of their cabin.

Catherine looked between the two of them, trying to stifle a laugh, knowing far too well that neither would appreciate it.

Mary wasn't one to back down. "Listen, Gibbs, that glare thing you do might scare most people you come into contact with, but to me - it's whatever. You got that? I don't care about you or what you think or whatever feelings you feel like vomiting all over Catherine here. Not my problem."

"Then leave," Gibbs growled.

"Not my problem, that is, until it jeopardizes my work. Don't go promising her things you are not in a position to deliver." She leaned in close to him for what she had to say next. "It took her a long time to find some peace. If you really do love her, you won't go screwing that up now. Got it?"

Gibbs realized he had to listen to Mary because he did care. He cared more than he thought possible and more than Mary could ever imagine. He realized he was going to need her as an ally. "Screwing it up how, exactly?" He genuinely wanted to understand.

Mary motioned for him to follow her back to the eighth row. Gibbs looked down at Catherine first. As if reading his mind, she said, "Honestly? Where do you think I'm going to be able to run off to?" She put her sunglasses back on, leaned the seat back and put on her headphones.

He couldn't resist kissing her head as he made his way back to sit with Mary. Cat smiled but once he was gone, her mood darkened. She was still trying to process the fact that Jethro had said he loved her. It was everything she ever wanted and yet the timing couldn't be worse. Mary would have to set him straight. Cat decided she didn't want to think about it anymore and instead simply appreciate that it had happened at all. But her mind was racing.

"8A is empty, so sit," offered Mary.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, sizing each other up.

Mary broke the stalemate. "So how do you see this working out?"

Gibbs hesitated. "She asked something similar."

Mary nodded. "That's because she's been in the program for a year. She understand its use - and its limitations."

Gibbs ran his hands over his face, as if trying to wake himself up from a dream. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'll get right to the point. You can't see her again."

"Not an option," he said, visibly upset by her statement. Mary almost felt sorry for him - if she was one to care about other people's feelings.

"Listen, Gibbs, I get it. You love her. You think you've witnessed a miracle because you finally have a chance to tell her all the things you were too selfish or stupid to tell her when she was in your life every day and you were taking her being there for granted. I get that. But here's the thing. Unless you are ready to give up everything in your life - your friends, your job, your house, and yes - even your boat - you cannot see her again."

"How much did she tell you about me? I mean, you talk like you think you know me, Ms. Shannon. You know a laundry list of items. You don't … _know _… me."

"So are you saying you're willing to give up everything to be with her? Because that's what we're talking about here. It's changing your name. It's changing your occupation. It's kissing your old life goodbye. We can't have you dropping in for a visit any time you feel like it. This is an all or nothing proposition with her life hanging in the balance. Do you get that?"

He was trying very hard to remain calm. "I'm not a stupid man. I hear what you're saying."

She looked at her watch. "Listen, we still have several hours. I suggest you make the most of it. But please keep what I've said in mind. And don't make promises to her that you can't keep. It's not fair to either of you."

With that, Mary stood up to let him out. He nodded before returning to Jenny or rather to Cat. So many thoughts were swimming around in his head. A part of him wished he could retreat to his basement, where he could work on his boat while trying to make sense of the entire situation. He slipped past Cat into his seat.

Cat took her headphones and sunglasses off, turning to face Gibbs. They tried to communicate with their eyes, saying the things to each other that really mattered, things they both had trouble putting into words.

Gibbs took a deep breath. "We have so much to talk about. I really don't want to waste a second of it." He leaned his head against the seat, close to her own. Their foreheads touched, as they continued their conversation barely above a whisper, holding hands. "Ducky told me that you were dying. Was that true or was it part of this?"

"Part of this. That was the original extraction plan, but then Svetlana happened and I guess you could say the folks at Witsec decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up. I'm so sorry I left you such a mess."

"Rule 6."

Cat rolled her eyes. "I got Decker killed. I essentially got myself killed and I almost got you killed. If that isn't apology worthy, what is?"

"The fact that I had the chance every day for three years to tell you that I never stopped loving you but didn't."

She turned her head to look him in the eyes. She saw just a hint of tears starting to form.

"I'm so sorry, Jen. I'm just so sorry. Maybe if I had…"

She saw the desperation and pain in his eyes but felt powerless, not knowing how to make it go away. She couldn't handle seeing him falling apart in front of her eyes. She did the only thing she could think of - she quickly crawled across the arm rest onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him. He held her tightly against him, burying his head into her shoulder, sobbing. Finally, he was able to release all of the emotions he had bottled up about her "death." Finally, he was allowed to feel and express the love and loss he'd felt for this woman he saw as his partner, his lover, his best friend. As he cried for all they had lost, for all that seemed lost, she cradled his head, threading her fingers through his hair, simply repeating the same phrase over and over again as a whisper into his ear, "I love you, Jethro. I love you so much."


	5. Chapter 5

Even though Jethro's sobs had long subsided, Cat continued to hold him in her arms, caressing his back with one hand, the other threaded through his hair. Finally he lifted his head up, looking in her eyes. She wiped away any signs of moisture on his face.

"I'm sorry about that," he offered.

"Wow, two apologies in less than a half hour. I don't think I know you," she smiled.

"Oh, you know me." His eyes started to darken, drinking her in.

Cat made an effort to return to her seat, but he caught her. "Where're you going?"

She smiled half-heartedly before escaping his grip, standing and returning to her seat. "Someplace where I'll get in less trouble."

Gibbs was trying to read her thoughts but she wasn't letting him in in. "What's that mean?"

She had no idea how she was going to explain herself so she decided the direct approach, for once, would have to do. "It means that I was worried we were going to start something that I… can't."

"Why not?"

She sighed. "Because it wouldn't be fair."

He was exasperated. "To who?"

She wanted to stall. Frankly, she wanted to flee. _Damn being stuck on this airplane_. She bit her lower lip.

"Out with it," he insisted. Finally he was able to read her. His whole body sank with the realization. "You're seeing someone, aren't you?"

"Kinda."

"KINDA? What the hell does that mean? And if you're seeing someone else, why on earth were you telling me five minutes ago how much you love me?"

"Jethro…."

"Don't Jethro me. Talk."

"It's not serious, at least it wasn't from my perspective," she began. "But it was enough that I'd want to make sure he knew it was over before anything happens again between us."

"It's a little too late for that, don't you think? We were in each others arms, saying 'I love you.' I think that's the definition of something's happened."

She knew Gibbs was right. "I don't want to hurt him. He's a good man."

"I hate him."

She laughed. "You don't even know him."

"He was able to be with you when I wasn't. He's had lustful thoughts about you. I can hate him."

"How do you know he's had lustful thoughts about me?"

He reached for her hand and kissed it. "Trust me, there isn't a man who's been within 100 feet of you who hasn't."

She blushed. "Well, I don't know about _that_."

"Take my word. So tell me, how long have you been seeing him?"

She wasn't sure how comfortable she was having this conversation with him, but then again, why not? "I guess it's been a few weeks."

He took a moment to examine her body language, what she'd said, her eyes as she said it. "You're not that into him, are you?"

"Why do you say that?"

He reached for her hand again and held it as he spoke. "Because… your eyes didn't light up as you spoke about him, you couldn't tell me exactly how long you'd been seeing him, you sounded distant, detached and let me not forget the most obvious - you were already speaking of him in the past tense."

She smiled. "Well, I told you it wasn't serious. It's also very hard to be excited talking about some other guy as I sit here with the only man who has ever had my heart."

He perked up at that. "Only man?"

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I hate inflating your ego any more than it already is."

He smirked. "I'm listening."

"I'm no longer talking," she shot back.

He squeezed her hand. "Pretty please."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Fine." She got up the courage to look in his eyes. He inched closer to her, wanting to make sure he caught every word. "There's a possibility that despite lots of attention - I want it duly noted that I do receive a lot of attention from men…"

It was a fact he was painfully aware of - and he didn't like it. "Duly noted, go on."

She smiled, then added shyly, "There is the possibility that I haven't _been_ with another man since we've been together." She saw his shocked look and cringed. "I knew I shouldn't have told you."

"I… I had no idea," he managed to say finally. "Really?"

She shrugged. "I'm not the type of girl willing to settle. Every other man had big shoes to fill. And none of them could. Besides you, there was only room in my life - at that time - for one other man and he took up every spare moment."

He nodded, knowingly. "The Frog." She confirmed with a nod of her own. "It was probably more about him than it was about my big….shoes."

She smiled wickedly at him. "Cute. To be honest, I didn't intend to even let you in. You took me by surprise."

"I can be charming when I want."

She laughed. "Yeah, something like that. What can I say? I'm not the type to run off and marry the next person who crosses my path."

"Low blow." He couldn't help but smile as she laughed. "My only defense is that I kept trying to obliterate thoughts of you from my mind. Which I'll admit, is not a great foundation for any marriage."

"Oh please," she complained. "Your multiple marriages weren't about me. They were about Shannon."

He became quiet, just then. "Not true. Not the ones that took place after you. Not Hollis. Those relationships were about trying to get _you _out of my head."

She looked at him, stunned. "Are you serious?"

"I am. I'm sure Hollis would say something else. She thinks I wasn't ready to let go of Shannon because I never called her after I found her listening to a tape she and Kelly made for me."

She cringed. "She went through your things and listened to it?"

"See, exactly! It wasn't so much that her listening to it upset me but rather that she was around my things."

Cat looked at him, shaking her head. She wasn't buying it.

"OK, so that doesn't make a lot of sense," he realized.

She laughed. "No, it doesn't. Why did you really stop calling?"

"Because it was glaring to me. That never would have happened with you. It wasn't that she intruded on my life with Shannon. It was that she just wasn't you. I couldn't keep fooling myself. So I walked away. And I haven't so much as glanced at anyone else since, especially after you 'died'..."

They locked eyes.

The sexual tension was really beginning to get to Gibbs. "Okay, so you don't want anything _more_ to happen between us until you've had a chance to talk with him, is that right?"

She nodded. Gibbs reached into his pocket, took out his cell phone and handed it to her. "Call him."

"You want me to do it over the phone?" she asked.

"It's more than I got." He saw her wince. "Oh don't worry about that. It was a lifetime ago. Call him."

She held the phone in her hands, contemplating what she should do. She looked up at Gibbs. "So what happens? I call him, end things and then this airplane lands - with you and I going our separate ways? And I'm alone again?"

"No. When this plane lands, I'm going home with you."


	6. Chapter 6

"You can't go home with me."

Jethro shook his head. He didn't like what he was hearing and he knew he had to fight it with everything he had. "Why's that? And don't tell me that you don't want me to. Your eyes say otherwise."

She sighed. "Of course, I _want_ you to. But for the past year, my life hasn't exactly been about what I _want_." She then motioned behind her, indicating Mary. "Get her to sign off, and I'll pack you in my bag myself."

He took a deep breath. He wasn't looking forward to that discussion. "Any ideas on how best to present my case?"

She looked at him, surprised he wasn't simply charging back to speak with Mary, to bend her to his will. Then she realized. "That must have been some discussion you two had before. She really laid the situation out for you, didn't she?"

He nodded, sadly. He wrestled with whether or not to tell her and then realized he had to. "She said I wasn't allowed to ever see you again after this plane ride."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Ever?" He noticed the tears starting to well up in her eyes. "What am I saying, I knew that. I guess just hearing it said out loud…" She trailed off, feeling bereft.

He squeezed her hand. "She did say there was one way."

Cat knew exactly what that other way entailed and she knew it was asking too much of him, too much of anyone. "No. I won't ask you to give up everything to be with me. It's not fair that _I_ had to do this, never mind -"

"You weren't asking," he said, cutting her off. He looked at her. "What if it's what I want to do?"

"Jethro, that's one gigantic 'if' you're talking about. Hell, we don't even know if we even work together anymore." She shook her head, overwhelmed by it all.

"Do you think she'd accept us trying this on a trial basis?" He saw he had her attention. "No one knows where I was going on my vacation, so it's not like there's a chance anyone would call my hotel and find I never made it there. What if I spent these next two weeks, living with you… as sort of a dry run?" He finally took a breath, hoping that he'd convinced her. If he had Jen believing it could work, that would go a long way to convincing Mary. At least he hoped it would.

"And then we can re-evaluate the situation the last day?" he offered.

A smile crept across her face, her mind reeling with the possibilities. She looked at him and saw the relief in his eyes. He'd bought them two weeks, or so he hoped. But there was still Mary. He had to find a way to get her to sign off on this.

"Let me take this to Mary," she offered. "Why don't you go back there and send her my way."

He felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. Jenny seemed to want to make this work and that was half the battle. And how could Mary deny her? She couldn't be completely heartless, could she?

"You have completely lost your mind."

Cat bit her lip, taken aback by Mary's harsh reaction to their plan.

"Please, Mary. It's what we both want," she insisted.

Mary shook her head, furious that Special Agent Gibbs revealed himself to be the big threat she knew him to be. "Jesus, Cat, do you really need me to spell out for you all the ways this idea sucks? What happens at the end of the two weeks if you two aren't on the same page with the decision?"

Cat eyed Mary, seeing the woman in a new light. "Wait a second. You aren't nixing this because of safety reasons. You're scared he's going to hurt me?" She couldn't help laughing. "Mary, I'm going to tell Marshall that you really do have a heart. You're worried about me!"

Mary growled. "You will not be telling him or any of my other co-workers any such thing."

Cat's eyes grew big. "If you don't let me bring Jethro home, you bet your ass I'm going to tell him. Mary's got a heart, Mary's got feeeeeeelings. I will sing it from the rooftops. I will yell it in your office. I will -"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the idea. You'll be singing. Big freakin' deal," she sighed. "I don't get it, Cat. I've seen you go through hell this year. Finally, _finally_, you were starting to come out of it. What about Ryan?"

She sighed, her shoulders sagging under the weight of what she knew she had to do. "Mary, you know that Jethro is the love of my life. And the crazy thing is…he still loves me, he still wants me. Me! He could have any woman he wants. But that man over there - I am _it_ for him. And he is it for me."

"What was Ryan, then? Because I thought you finally found someone to help you move on," inquired Mary.

"Ryan was a lifeline," she managed after a few moments. "Ryan was this beautiful soul, leading a blind woman to realize there was a world outside her front door. Jethro is Technicolor; he's Superman flying me around to show me the entire world and as long as he's by my side - I'm _flying_. Please don't throw me back where it's dark and limited. Let me fly."

"Wow, Cat. That was really something. I had no idea you could make crap up so fast. It's a gift, truly."

Cat shook her head. "You are way too cynical, my friend. It came from here," she patted her chest. "He's my heart. And without him, I'm afraid I'll be just like you." She looked at the U.S. Marshal knowingly. "You keep yourself hard, afraid to take a risk. I lived that way for too long. And I thought that was going to be my lot in life. Until he walked back into it. Please give us a chance," she pleaded.

Mary sighed. "When did I become a sucker? Really, I'd like to know the exact moment when I lost my balls."

"Mary's got a heart, Mary's got a heart," sang Cat.

"Stop it. OK, let me go talk to Superman," she growled. "You two are giving me a freaking cavity."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: First, let me say thank you for all of the reviews and alerts - they mean so much! It's great to hear your reactions to the chapters. I have no idea how often I will be uploading new ones but I need the discipline of writing each day so the goal is at least one per day. But I am smart enough to know that might not always be the case. Just know it is the goal. Also, I am surprised how much Mary keeps creeping back into the story. I needed to have a handler character in this and figured why not use one who is already established? For those who don't know the show, I figure it doesn't really take anything away from the story and for those who do, it's like a little bonus. But she's fun to write, so I hope you're enjoying her as much as I am. But first and foremost, this is all about Jibbs, so don't worry.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Mary Shannon made her way to the back row of First Class to join Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She was a little surprised by the nervous look on his face. He didn't seem like the type, but she realized the stakes, in this instance, were pretty high.

"At ease, Marine."

He snorted. "Just how much did she tell you about me?" he asked as she settled into the seat next to him.

"It was a long road, Gibbs. She was messed up for a long time. So there were many late night poker games, lots of alcohol and a lot of talking."

"Really? She never used to open up to people easily," he said, looking over in Cat's direction.

"Bourbon helps," she quipped. Mary was looking down and missed seeing the corners of Gibbs' mouth turn upwards.

"Her memories were all she had. She needed to talk, to feel like she was somehow still here in this world. And it's my job to be their sister, their best friend, their priest, their rabbi - whatever is needed."

Gibbs studied the woman in front of him. "Do you always get this close to them?"

"Never," Mary smiled. "She's different. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. I don't make friends with them."

"What was it about her?"

She gave the question a lot of thought. "I read her file and was completely blown away. This was way above my pay grade." He saw the awe she had for Jenny. He couldn't blame her.

"She's the only witness who knows my real name. But I had a feeling it wasn't a good idea to give her my standard alias."

He was curious. "Which is…?"

She turned to face him. "Shepard. They normally know me as Mary Shepard."

He nodded. "Good thinking."

"Gibbs, I don't just like her. I _admire _her. There aren't too many people I can say that about. Frankly, I find that most people suck. This is why it makes me nervous to see you two going down this road. It took her so long to come to terms with the program."

Gibbs rubbed his face with his hands before he looked up to match her gaze. "If you were me, could you walk away from her?"

By the look on Mary's face, he knew she understood. He continued, "So why the name 'Catherine' - I thought you all like to stay as close to the real name or even stick with the real name. And why the hair color change?"

Mary was impressed by his knowledge - and she didn't impress easy. "Blame her. I gave her the option but let's face it - she was probably smart to do it this way. She's a striking woman who was seen at a lot of press conferences. She's not the type who can blend into a crowd."

"She walks into a room and everyone notices," he added. "I hate to break it to her, but that's not going to change because she's a blonde."

Mary was starting to like Gibbs. She was relieved to see the same look in his eyes that she saw in Catherine's earlier. "She's a high-level target, Gibbs. If these changes give her a small sense of control or security, well then I can't blame her."

Gibbs saw the concern in Mary's eyes. "Why was she back in D.C.? I thought that was a no-no."

"Grand jury. We still have a long way to go. But that's as much as I can tell you."

He understood. "So do we have your blessing?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "I guess," she said grudgingly.

Gibbs shot her a smile as he got up to go. "Don't worry. I still think you're a bad-ass."

"I _am_ a bad-ass." Mary just shook her head as she watched him head up the aisle.

Gibbs made his way back to his seat as Cat watched him carefully, trying to gage his mood. "Well, it looks like you're in one piece," she said.

He smiled. "She's not so bad. You obviously have come to mean a lot to her. Gave us something in common."

"So do I have a house guest for the next two weeks?"

He stared deeply into her eyes before saying seductively, "Oh yeah."

His heart felt so full when he saw her eyes light up and a smile take over her entire face. It took great effort to not reach out and pull her face to him so he could kiss her fully on the mouth, like he'd been dying to do since the moment he found out she was alive.

He reached into his pocket and once again handed her his cell phone, which she took. "Please call him." He reached over and caressed her mouth. "I want to kiss these lips so much right now, I'm not sure how much longer I can control myself."

She was completely caught up in the moment, with the smell of him swirling around her, intoxicating her. She closed her eyes, feeling his finger on her lips. Without thinking, she opened her mouth, provocatively taking his finger in her mouth and gently suckled it. It took his quiet moaning to snap her out of it. "You're killing me," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

Suddenly her eyes went wide. She released his finger and pushed herself back. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking. Oh crap. What am I doing?"

"Driving. Me. Crazy."

She looked at him, trying to stifle a laugh. "Honestly, not my intention. I got carried away." She then held up the phone. "Do we really think it's a good idea for me to make a call from an airplane?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to get written permission from my friend Daniel, our pilot?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I knew you knew him." She opened the phone and stared at it for a second before dialing. She turned away from Gibbs, not really wanting to look at one man as she set about hurting another.

"Hi, Ryan. It's Catherine….Oh I'm fine, I'm actually still on the plane… Yeah. Um, I hate to do this over the phone but I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel dinner tomorrow night…" She bit her lower lip as she listened. "No, actually I don't think we should reschedule. I… I'm afraid this isn't working for me. You're a wonderful man. I'm just… Yeah. It's complicated. I'm really sorry." She listened a bit longer. "Let's play it by ear. Yeah, okay. Thanks. Bye, Ryan."

He saw her head fall and her breathing get more labored. "You okay?" he asked as he rubbed her back. She leaned back into his hands, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Just hold me like this, for a little while," she said in a soft voice. Then it hit him. This Ryan guy meant more to her than he realized.


	8. Chapter 8

"Do you want to tell me about him?"

Not that Gibbs really _wanted _to hear about Ryan. He knew he didn't really have a right to be jealous but he couldn't help it. This man had managed to be there for Jenny when he couldn't. And even if what they had wasn't that deep yet, the fact that there was even potential was upsetting to him.

"You don't want to hear it," she said knowingly. She kept her eyes closed as Gibbs continued to rub her shoulders, trying to release the tension. She let her head fall forward, inviting his hands to move to her neck.

"I do if you want to tell me." He loved that she was letting him massage her neck, finally letting him touch her skin. First, he gently released her hair from the ponytail holder. He then moved his fingers to the base of her neck, into her hair, kneading the pressure points. He loved feeling her melt into his touch. He loved it even more that her hair was long and wavy again.

She eventually tapped his hands, letting him know he could stop. She then turned around, her eyes revealing the toll the phone call had taken on her. He so wanted to make her feel better but he didn't have a clue what to do. She answered his unasked question when she crawled across the armrest into his lap.

"Can you just hold me for a while in your arms?"

Gibbs nodded as she snuggled into his chest. He then wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She quickly buried her head into his neck. He put his lips in her hair and whispered, "I love you, Jen. I promise you'll never regret this."

She leaned back to look in his eyes and then cupped his face in her hands. "Please, Jethro, do not think for one moment that I have any regrets as far as choosing you. Never." She caressed his face, before leaning forward to whisper in his ear, "But you've really got to stop calling me Jen." She then nibbled is ear before leaning back to gage his reaction.

He rolled his eyes. "Even in a whisper? What, are you worried your ear is bugged?" he teased, looking in her ear. "Or is it in your blouse?" he asked, pulling it forward and looking down. "Nope, don't see any bugs in there, but I enjoy the view all the same."

Her eyes went wide as she swatted his hand away. "Jethro! What do you think you're doing?"

"My duty to protect you. Maybe they've put one somewhere on your body. I think I need to do a complete search." With that, he started running his hands over her body. Unfortunately, he accidentally tickled her, which sent her into fits of giggles.

"Stop it, Jethro," she laughed. "I mean it, I'm going back to my seat if you don't stop."

Not wanting that he lifted his hands as if to surrender. "Fine, if you're body is wired, don't blame me. I tried to find them," he grinned mischievously.

"Uh huh," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "So tell me, where were you going on this vacation? I'm guessing it wasn't Albuquerque."

He smiled. "No. I was actually going to bum around Mexico for a while, maybe stop in and see Mike if I felt like it."

"How did you end up with a connecting flight through Albuquerque? Oh wait, you booked this trip yourself, didn't you?" He shrugged. "Next time why don't you ask Cynthia? You might not be her favorite person, but I'm sure she'd do it for you." She noticed a change in his mood. "What is it?"

"Cynthia isn't with NCIS any more."

Cat was stunned. "Why not? What happened?"

He shot her a look. "You died. She took it pretty hard. I think she's working for one of your senator friends now."

She swallowed hard. She hadn't really thought about what would happen to Cynthia, her trusted assistant. She took a deep breath, "What else? Fill me in."

"You sure you want to know?" She nodded. He laid his hand on her leg, rubbing it back and forth as his way to comfort her, prepare her. "We got back from your funeral, and Leon immediately split up the team."

"He did _what_?"

"Oh yeah. Sent Tony to be agent afloat, McGee to Cyber and canceled the Mossad liaison position, so Ziva went back to Israel."

"That son-of-a…" she trailed off, fuming.

"Set me up with Agents Langer, Keating and Lee."

"Are they still your team?" Cat was flabbergasted.

He raised his eyebrows. "Well, not exactly. Turned out this was done because Leon was looking for a mole."

"That's how he chose to handle it?"

Gibbs eyed her suspiciously. "Did you know?"

"I'm the one who uncovered it. It was one of my last conversations with SecNav," she sighed. "What happened?"

"Langer was killed by the mole, who turned out to be Agent Lee."

Cat gasped. "Michelle? But why?"

He sighed. "Long story. Upshot is she was being coerced. Ended in a hostage situation on a bus and in order to kill the guy, I had to shoot a bullet through Lee."

"Oh, Jethro. I don't know what to say."

"It's over. The kids are back. Abby never would have forgiven me otherwise."

Just the mention of the loveable Goth made her smile. "So how is Abby?"

"She'd be over the moon if she saw us like this."

Cat laughed. "Mommy and Daddy back together again. It'd be a dream come true for her."

"It _is _a dream come true," he said.

She smiled. "Me, too."

The look between them turned electric. He slipped one arm behind her back and around her waist while snaking the other arm under her legs, pulling her body closer to him. She placed one hand on his chest and another one made its way up his neck and into his hair to draw his head down to hers. Finally, their lips touched ever so gently. He parted his lips, hoping to encourage her to do the same. Following his lead, she opened her mouth, allowing their kiss to deepen. This was a passion-filled kiss that had waited many years to be reignited, and their longing was evident in its intensity.

He felt her hug him more tightly, as if there was a way for them to be even closer than they already were. He responded by moving the hand from her waist, up her back and into her hair.

When she realized he was maneuvering her down, deeper into the seat, she gently pushed him off of her, breaking their kiss. They were both panting, trying to catch their breath. She used the element of surprise to sit back up.

"What are you doing?" he asked, still out of breath.

"Stopping us from entering the Mile High club," she managed.

He started kissing her neck. "But we're already members," he snickered. "I'm just trying to keep us in good standing."

She laughed. "OK, you have to stop kissing my neck. I can't think when you do that."

"That's the point."

She could feel his smile on her neck before she playfully pushed him away. "I'm serious. I don't want our first time making love in a decade to be in an airplane. Is that okay?"

He watched her for a moment, seeing the sincerity in her request. Knowing he was incapable of denying her anything, he managed to nod his acceptance. "How's your entryway? Because I don't think I'm going to make it much past your front door."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here's a quick one because it was in my head and it had to come out. Not sure how great it is or if it will count as tomorrow's chapter or not. We'll see if I can pound out another. Hope you don't mind getting a second one so soon. And thanks again for the reviews - love hearing your thoughts!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Mary Shannon was bored. She hated long plane rides and while she normally preferred silence to most people, she had been looking forward to hanging out with Catherine. That is until a certain special agent dropped back into her charge's life. Mary was mad at herself because had she realized she'd be spending the plane trip alone, she would have packed something to do or read. She then remembered that Catherine had a book with her and unless things had completely fallen apart with Gibbs, she probably wasn't reading it.

Mary got up and started walking towards the front of the first class cabin. When she got to their row, she noticed the aisle seat was empty. She looked over to the window and saw Catherine sitting on Gibbs' lap and the two were making out like hormonal teenagers. Any other person would have quietly turned around and walked away. Mary's not any other person though. She rolled her eyes and plopped down in the seat.

"So how are you two crazy kids doing?"

Cat jumped and tried to untangle herself from Gibbs but he wouldn't have any of that. If Mary wanted to sit and watch, that was her problem. Of course, Cat no longer wanting to participate made it his problem as well.

He growled, "Mary - how many times do I have to tell you, 8B."

"Cute, Gibbs. Frankly, since you guys seem to only need one seat, I figured what's the harm in my sitting in the other."

Cat eyed her suspiciously. "Now I know the idea of watching two people making out is about as appealing to you as acid rain, so there must be another reason you decided to join us. Unless…"

Gibbs was confused. "What?"

Cat continued, "Unless you think sitting here will inhibit us."

"It won't," Gibbs deadpanned.

Cat noticed that Mary was looking none too pleased at her. "What's wrong?"

"What are you planning to tell Ryan?"

Gibbs was not happy. "I didn't take you for the judgmental type, Mary."

"Sorry, Gibbs, but when I see someone cheating on a friend of mine, I don't handle it very well." She turned her attention back to Cat. "I thought you'd at least wait until you had a chance to talk with him."

Gibbs was incredulous. "She did, not that it's any of your business."

Cat put her hand on his chest. "It's okay. She has a right to be angry. She _was_ the one to introduce us. But Mary, Jethro's right. I did call him and ended things."

Mary sighed. "Crap. I wanted to be there when you did in case... How'd he handle it?"

Gibbs was growing concerned. _Why would this guy fall apart after the end of a relationship that was only three weeks old?_

"I didn't exactly go into detail as to why. Basically I told him it wasn't working for me. He wants to talk more after I get back and I said we'd play it by ear."

Mary nodded her head for a few moments. "Good. That sounds like it went as well as could be expected."

Gibbs was losing patience. "What is with this guy? Why are you both babying him? So he got broken up with over the phone." Under his breath he added, "That's more than I got."

Cat shot him a look. "Tell me you are _not_ going there right now."

Mary added, "He's been through a lot, Gibbs. He's lost a lot."

Gibbs turned his gaze towards Mary. "So had I."

Cat jumped in, "OK, what I did back then was bad enough but don't make it sound worse. If you recall, I didn't _know_ you had been through a lot."

Gibbs swallowed hard. "Fair enough."

Cat brought her knees up, crossed her arms over them and put her head down. Their playful, romantic mood had been ruined. Finally she looked up. "I tried, Mary. Honestly I did."

Gibbs added, "It's true. She wouldn't let me near her until she'd spoken with him first."

Mary hated apologies but she felt like she owed one to Cat. "I shouldn't have come down on you like that. You were right, Gibbs - none of my business."

Cat waved her off. "I understand. If our roles were reversed, I'd probably have done the same thing."

"So can I have your book?" Mary asked, anxious to change the subject and get out of there. "I really don't want to watch you two make out. We should be getting food soon and well, I want to have an appetite…" she cringed.

Cat laughed, reaching into the bag she had under the seat. By the time she found it and handed the book to Mary, the food cart had been moved, blocking Mary in.

"Great. Guess I'm stuck here for a few minutes," said Mary.

"Yeah. Great," Gibbs added, despite the look he got from Cat.

Mary looked around the cart, towards the cockpit. "Oh don't get excited, you guys. I don't think we're getting fed. Looks like the pilot just needed to use the bathroom."

Gibbs looked at Cat, sitting on his lap and groaned, knowing what was about to happen. She looked at him, trying to read his reaction which she wasn't understanding. That is, until she heard fits of laughter coming from the aisle. She looked up to see the pilot staring at them.

"Wow, Gunny. You sure do work fast," said Daniel.

Gibbs couldn't help but laugh. If Cat didn't know any better, she would swear he was blushing.

Daniel added, "But I always thought you were into red heads. Is this your first blonde?"

"Second," smirked Cat, showering Gibbs with kisses in the hopes of upping his embarrassment. Even Mary was laughing.

Gibbs was just shaking his head, grinning from ear to ear.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: OK, I lied. You're getting one from me today. Procrastination, while a bad thing for my other projects, is a good thing for this one because this is how I procrastinate. And I think you all will see with this chapter that I do indeed listen to feedback. So hopefully that encourages you to keep giving it. Thanks!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After their food was delivered and eaten, Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Catherine Jones decided to conserve their energy for what was likely to be a long evening ahead, so they decided to sleep for the remainder of the flight. They were now in Mary's car, having just arrived at Cat's home in Albuquerque.

"So, mind if I come in and hang out for a while?" joked Mary.

"Yes," replied Cat and Gibbs in unison.

Mary was pleased with herself. "Marshall did a sweep of your house about an hour ago, so it should be fine. You two behave yourselves. Call me if you need anything."

Gibbs, with their bags in hand, leaned down to speak with Mary. "Thank you. I'm glad she's had you in her life."

Mary would have been touched by his comment, if she were the type to have feelings. She locked eyes with Gibbs. "I'm trusting that you will take very good care of her."

The corners of his mouth turned upwards. "Count on it."

"Thanks, Mary," added Cat. "Call you soon."

Mary nodded and drove off.

Gibbs surveyed the modest home in front of him. It looked to be about 2,000 square feet, with most of it on one floor but there was a small second floor. He hoped her bedroom was there, for security reasons, since it's easier to defend.

"It's temporary, while I'm having to deal with testifying. Once that's done, I'll be moved to my new permanent location, which I believe will be in another state," she said sadly. "Can't get attached to anything."

Gibbs walked over to her, put their suitcases down and pulled her into his arms. "We'll get through this."

Her heart almost burst through her chest upon hearing him say "we." She leaned into his embrace, drawing on his strength - because she was almost afraid to hope that he meant it. "Let's get inside," she managed.

"Good," he said as he picked up their suitcases and headed to her front door. Once inside, he put the suitcases down and locked the door. He motioned for her to set the alarm, which she did.

"What do you have weapons wise?" He wanted to make sure she was set. He should have known better.

She pointed to the vase with dry flowers at the entry way. "Knife taped inside there, knife taped to the back of the toilet in the bathroom, knife taped underneath the end table by the couch over there. Bedroom is upstairs, same deal for the toilet up there and I cut out a hole in my mattress by my side of the bed and have a Glock in there. And I have a Baretta in my purse."

"Nothing in the kitchen?"

She rolled her eyes. "I figured my cooking was lethal enough."

He smiled. "Good point."

She swatted him on the shoulder and then headed for her couch in the living room, which was just off the entryway. She sat down, motioning for him to join her.

"I'd say you trained me well but I think it was more Ziva's influence," she said, smiling as she allowed herself to remember her friend.

He sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. "Whatever it takes."

She turned to face Gibbs, pulling her legs onto the couch, her arm up, resting her head in her other hand as she stared at him. "I still can't believe this is real, and you're actually sitting here in front of me."

"_You _can't believe," he said, overwhelmed. He looked in her eyes, as he gently reached out to caress her face. "In so many ways, I can't believe it's really you. I mean, I know it is, but there's something… you seem different."

She was intrigued. "How?"

He smiled. "Lighter. It's like when we first worked together. The armor isn't there. You're more open, which considering the situation, is pretty surprising."

She considered what he was saying and snorted. "You'd be lighter too if you didn't have the lives of an entire federal agency weighing on you anymore. I also no longer have to work so hard to hide my feelings from my lead agent. Or try to prove I deserve my position and am damn good at it."

He thought about all she said - and understood. "You were damn good at it."

"Really? I often thought you felt the opposite. It's probably what made me dig my heels in deeper. And fight with you more."

He laughed. "Yep."

She released his hand, moving hers along his arm. "You seem lighter too."

Gibbs looked at her and nodded. "Same as you. It's a relief to not have to hide from what I'm feeling. It's incredible to be able to look in your eyes and tell you how much I love you."

"I love you too," she said, as she leaned in to kiss him.

He cupped her face in his hands, deepening their kiss. He felt her unbuttoning his top shirt so he returned the favor. It wasn't long before the two were completely naked and entwined in each other's arms. Finally. Their lovemaking began on the couch but before he knew it, they were on the floor, spread out after kicking the coffee table to the other side of the room. He grabbed the blanket from the couch on their way down as well as some pillows. Their passion was as strong as ever and after they were done, they settled into each other's arms.

"That was…amazing," she said, almost out of breath.

"You're killing me, lady," he panted.

"Come on, old man. You managed to keep up," she said wickedly.

"I'll show you old man," he said, grabbing her as he rolled over on top of her, sending her into squeals of laughter.

"Just don't tickle me again," she begged, though her plea fell on deaf ears. He loved hearing her laugh. He quickly stopped, opting instead to simply hold her. The two enjoyed basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking, laying in each other's arms. It wasn't long before they gently drifted off to sleep.

Gibbs continued to feel sleep tugging at him, but in his reverie, he felt his ear being suckled. It was a bit intense but he smiled, giving in to the feeling. But confusion overtook him when he swore he heard giggling coming from the other side of him. Instincts told him he should open his eyes. He was startled when he saw Jenny looking down at him, almost unable to contain her laughter. He turned his head towards the suckling and jumped with a start.

"What the hell?"

Jenny laughed. "Jethro, I want you to meet Mikey. I'm afraid he was weaned a bit early from his mother and now has a habit of sucking on people's earlobes."

"You have a cat?"

"It appears that way. Why, do you not like cats?" she said, almost daring him.

"Well, they're not dogs. Dogs are great."

She rolled her eyes. "Dogs are great, sure, but they need a lot of work. Mikey is very self sufficient," she said proudly. Her voice then softened. "He's been a lifesaver. He's kept me sane."

He turned over to give the yellow tabby a better look. "Hmm. Well, okay then. But no more sucking on my earlobes, got it?"

She laughed. "I don't think your patented Gibbs glare is going to work on him."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Not sure if you guys have noticed that when I write from Gibbs' point of view, she's called Jenny (usually) and when it's just narrator stuff or from her angle, she's called Cat. I realized that might be confusing so I wanted to explain it.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A certain special agent watched Mikey like a hawk as he walked towards Jenny. Gibbs reached over her naked body and quickly covered her earlobes. "They're mine now, big guy. Keep that grubby mouth of yours away. Who knows where it's been."

Cat sat up, freeing herself, well at least her ears, from her lover's grasp. "My ears are _yours_ now? And here I thought they were mine," she teased, as she pulled the blanket around her. "Come here, Mikey." She lifted the cat up and sat him down in front of her, petting him.

"Please tell me you didn't name him after Mike Franks."

"Now you're really being ridiculous," she laughed. "I barely tolerated the man; I certainly wouldn't name a pet after him. No, it was the name he had when I got him from the shelter."

He was surprised how much he enjoyed watching her shower the cat with attention. It brought out a softness in her eyes, her demeanor, her voice - which only made her more beautiful. "Did you have cats growing up?"

"No," she said sadly. "My family home was filled with antique furniture, beautiful artwork and important papers so animals were never allowed." She narrowed her eyes at Gibbs. "Of course, had I known it'd all be destroyed in a fire..."

He swallowed hard. "So…you know about that."

Her voice betrayed her distress. "I don't know why it affected me so much. I guess it felt like I was losing my father all over again…" she sighed, trailing off at the memory.

He watched her, not sure where she was disappearing to in her head. It seemed like a darkness was swallowing her up. He tried to get her attention but she didn't seem to notice his efforts. He saw her breathing increase and wondered if she was in the beginning stages of a panic attack. Just as he was about to go shake her, Mikey stepped up, head butting her in the chest. She snapped out of it and kissed him on the forehead.

"Hey, where'd you go just now?"

She looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I was calling your name. You weren't… there." 

He thought he noticed a flicker of embarrassment cross her face but she quickly covered. "I guess I was just lost in memories."

She watched as Mikey walked away and then turned her attention back to Gibbs. "Why did the news say I died in that fire? What happened?"

He wished he didn't have to go into it, but he knew he'd have to tell her sometime. "I finished your Russian assignment for you, or rather - Mike Franks did." He saw her wince; he didn't mean what he said to come out as harshly as it did. That's when he realized he was still angry - not that she had trouble killing someone on assignment, but rather that he'd been left in the dark about it.

"Svetlana," she said, finally understanding. "How did Mike come into play?"

"I lured her to your townhouse. I was pouring a drink when she appeared behind me, gun in hand. Mike took the shot."

She tried to read in his eyes what he was leaving out of the story.

"You and Mike planned this beforehand?"

He hedged, trying to shrug off her question but he could tell she had no intention of letting it go. "Didn't know Mike was there."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "So if Mike hadn't been there…"

He shrugged, not able to look at her. "I probably wouldn't be here."

He couldn't look at the shock he knew was covering her face. "You set her up and then allowed her to get the drop on you? Did you have some kind of death wish or something?" she asked, incredulous.

He looked up finally, locking his ice blue eyes with her fiery emerald ones.

"Answer me, Jethro. What the hell was going through your mind?"

"That I had just lost everything. Again," he fired back, hurt.

As she absorbed the implications of what he said, she closed her eyes, her whole body sagging under the weight of his words. "Oh God, Jethro," she managed, as tears streamed down her face. She threw herself into his arms and he held her tight.

"If anything had happened to you… I had no idea," she said into his neck. "You'd been so cold to me for so long." She pulled back to look in his eyes. "At times I thought you hated me, especially after I asked you to stay the night and you wouldn't."

He pulled her back into his arms and whispered into her hair, "You have no idea how I kicked myself for that. One of the biggest, most idiotic mistakes of my life - damn pride."

"Your pride?" she asked, confused.

"No matter how much progress we seemed to make, no matter how much I may have wanted to act on my feelings for you over the years, in the back of my head I still heard 'there will be no off the job.'"

"My first day?" she sighed, leaning back so she could see his face. "You held onto it for three years?"

"Not exactly my finest moment," he acknowledged.

"Jesus, Jethro. Did you ever think that maybe I was a nervous wreck to see you again - and this time as your boss? I was so determined to make sure you respected me and wouldn't treat me like I was still your damn probie. I know I went overboard, but I backed off that almost immediately."

"I took you at your word," he said defensively. "I had told you I missed you, even after the way you'd left me, and that was the response. I guess I don't handle rejection very well."

She laughed derisively. "What a pair, we are," she said, shaking her head.

She saw that something was on the tip of his tongue. "What is it?"

"I have a question for you, and I don't know if I should ask it," he said, worry in his voice.

She bit her lower lip, pretty sure if he was hesitating to ask it, she didn't want to hear it. "What's your gut say?"

"It's my gut that wants to know." He steadied himself, unsure what her reaction was going to be or what can of worms he might be opening. "What happened with Svetlana? Why didn't you make the hit?"

She felt like she'd been hit by a sledgehammer, the wind knocked out of her. The best part of 'dying' was never having to tell Jethro the truth. But after their reunion, she knew the question was inevitable. She simply hoped it wouldn't be this soon, because she feared her answer could change everything.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews - I hope this chapter works for you. Keep in mind, I'm not trying to shock by Jenny's reveal…rather just giving my take (which I acknowledge is not original in Jibbs FF) on what I feel makes sense for the character.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"What happened with Svetlana? Why didn't you make the hit?"

"I know you need answers, Jethro, but everything has been so incredible today. Do we really have to get into this now?"

Cat felt herself withering under the intensity of his glare. Worse, she knew he wouldn't let it go.

Gibbs watched her squirming and while he wanted to let her off the hook, he had a feeling it was now or never and he needed to know. He deserved to know.

She sighed. "Fine." She swallowed hard and then took a deep breath before starting. "She was pregnant. I had enough issues with the assignment when it was just her I'd be killing."

"Okay," he said, sounding skeptical. "But why didn't you tell me?"

"I hated to let you down. I don't know… maybe because you would have killed her yourself and for some reason, I couldn't live with that option either." She shook her head, obviously angry with herself. "A huge mistake that Decker had to pay the price for and a decision I'll regret until the day I really die."

He studied her body language. Something wasn't quite right. She wasn't lying, exactly, but... "What are you leaving out?"

_Damn_. She hated how easily he could read her. "Isn't that enough?" she snapped, silently pleading with him to let it go.

He struggled with what to say next. "I get the feeling you need to tell me the rest of it. It seems like it's eating away at you." He saw the haunted look in her eye, quickening his own pulse. _What was she hiding?_

"Please just let it go, Jethro," she begged.

He went to her, putting his hands on her elbows, squeezing them ever so slightly. "You can trust me, Jen. Talk to me."

"I'm scared."

Now he was really getting concerned. He was not used to seeing Jenny anything other than confident. He moved his hands to her shoulders, running them up her neck and back down, trying to comfort her. "Of what?"

"I've kept something from you for so long. I never wanted to have to tell you. And it's been my fear that if I ever did, you'd hate me," she said in almost a whimper.

He felt punched in the gut. "I can't imagine what you could possibly say to ever make that happen."

Whether the fear was rational or not, it was genuine. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks. Jethro was beside himself. "Just tell me," he begged, almost shaking her. "What happened?"

She couldn't look at him. Finally she blurted out through the tears, "I lost our baby."

Jethro was silent. He let go of her, as if being so close was stopping him from breathing. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of what she was saying. But he couldn't. "What are you talking about? When?"

She sunk to the floor, curling up in fetal position, tears flowing freely now. Gibbs went behind her and pulled her into his embrace. "Please stop crying and talk to me. I love you," he whispered into her hair. He then ran his hand up and down her arm, trying to get her to stop shaking, to stop crying. They laid like that for what seemed like a very long time to him.

Finally he could feel her breathing evening out. She sat up, and he followed suit. She turned her tear-soaked gaze towards him, looking so broken, his heart hurt.

She took a deep breath, gathering strength from the love she saw in his eyes, love she didn't feel she deserved. "Do you remember when we were spending a lot of time apart on our different assignments, setting things up before the hit?" He nodded. "Well, it was two days before I got the order. I realized something was different with my body. I don't know what made me guess, but I got a pregnancy test and it was positive."

Gibbs ran his hand over his face and then through his hair, hardly believing what he was hearing. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She hated the look of pain she saw in his eyes. "You were gone all night. I didn't even see you. The next day I started cramping. I know I shouldn't have taken the risk, but I had to get to a clinic. I was losing the baby," she said as tears started falling again at the memory.

Gibbs felt horrible for her. He was kicking himself for not having been there, not having been more aware. "Then what happened?" he managed, gently.

"Eventually they did a D&C. I was weak, emotional. And I then I got the order," she said, with bitterness in her voice. "The next day I went to her apartment. I pulled a gun on her and she begged me for her life - and the life of her unborn child. I lost it."

Gibbs took her in his arms, holding her tightly against him. "It's my fault. There's no way you should have been put in that situation after what you'd been through." It was all finally beginning to make sense to him. But he still had another question. "How did you feel when you found out you were pregnant?"

She leaned back to look in his eyes. "I only knew for a few hours but they were the greatest hours of my life. I wanted to have your baby so badly. I started to dream of what our life would be like together. I was ready to give up my stupid plans for revenge. All of it. Everything would have been so different."

Her cries over the loss joined his own. She felt her hair moisten and realized Jethro was crying too. She hugged him more tightly to her. Finally he managed to ask, "Why didn't you tell me? And why on earth did you think I'd hate you?"

She looked around the room, like she was searching for inspiration, searching for the right words. She settled for the truth. "I was overwhelmed. I felt like such a failure. I couldn't kill… I couldn't give life. The last thing I could do was face you every day. I took the coward's way out. I ran away."

"Oh God, Jen. _That's _why you left me?"

"I was so ashamed, Jethro. I still am," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I kept it buried for so long. I pretended it never happened. I kept the façade, the ice queen exterior because it was the only way I could survive or rather live with myself. It doesn't matter how much success I had after. Doesn't matter how many accolades, how much admiration… I know I don't deserve it."

He looked at her, flabbergasted. "What can I say to stop you from being so hard on yourself? You are the most amazing woman I know - and this doesn't change a thing," he insisted.

He wasn't sure he was getting through. He saw the cloud of darkness descend on her again, taking her to a place he couldn't reach.

"Jenny….Jenny… look at me."

But she wasn't there. He quickly scooped her up and took her upstairs to her bedroom, where he found some pajamas and put them on her. He tucked her into bed, where she fell asleep immediately. He then set about finding some clothes for himself. Once he'd done that, he began checking Jenny's cell phone, clicking through numbers until he found the one he wanted. He dialed her phone.

"Hey, Catherine, what's going on?"

Jethro took a deep breath. "Mary, it's Gibbs. Something is wrong with… Catherine. I think we need your help."

He heard Mary sigh on the other end.

"Yeah. Damn. Hold tight, we'll be there in 20."

Gibbs hung up the phone. "We?"


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews - they're appreciated more than you know!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs worried about the can of worms he seemingly just opened. _We?_ He straightened things in the living room, removing evidence of their earlier lovemaking. He went back upstairs to check on Jenny, removing strands of her hair from her face. He had no idea why she was disappearing on him, having witnessed it twice in the span of an hour. He hoped Mary - and whomever was the other half of this 'we' - could provide him answers. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the doorbell.

Gibbs ran downstairs and just as he was about to open the door, he noticed the armed alarm.

"Damn. I don't know the code for the alarm," he said loudly, so Mary could hear.

"I do, just open it," she said.

Gibbs did just that. Mary pushed the door open wider and quickly entered the code before the chirping turned into a full siren.

Gibbs nodded. He was about to shut the door when a man in his 40s, slender build and dark wavy hair stepped inside. He noticed the man eye him with confusion.

"Who's this?" the man asked.

Mary swallowed. She looked at Gibbs. "I didn't get a chance to fill Ryan in on anything on the way over."

Gibbs ran his hand over his face, obviously annoyed. "You brought _him_?"

Mary quickly shut the door, locking it. "Trust me, you want him here. He has more experience dealing with her… issues."

Ryan looked Gibbs up and down before turning his attention back to Mary. "Is he the reason I got that phone call? How did something happen so quickly? You were gone all of two days."

Mary steeled herself before answering Ryan. Motioning to Gibbs, she said, "He's _the _guy."

Gibbs was taken aback by the shocked look on Ryan's face.

Ryan turned back to Mary. "I thought he was _dead_."

Gibbs snorted. "Well, I'm not." He caught the penetrating glare Mary threw his way and realized he'd better let her take lead. This Ryan guy was obviously not clued in on Jenny's situation.

"It was a shock for Catherine too, as I'm sure _you_ can imagine, Ryan. This is Gibbs. Gibbs, Ryan."

The next thing that happened took the special agent completely by surprise. Ryan extended his hand to him. "I'm really glad she got her miracle," he said, obviously a little choked up.

Dumbfounded, knowing he probably wouldn't be as generous if their roles were reversed, Gibbs accepted the handshake. "Thanks. Me too," he managed.

"I can't even imagine how she must have…" he trailed off, lost in thought. After regaining his bearings, Ryan continued, "So Mary said you called and that she's in trouble. I take it she zoned out on you?"

Gibbs was taken aback. "Yeah."

"It can freak a person out - no question there," he said, understanding. "Have you ever seen it happen, Mary?"

"Only heard about it from you. It's never happened when I've been with her."

Ryan smiled. "Well, you two don't talk about feelings often, do you?"

Mary rolled her eyes.

Ryan snapped into action, walking around the room looking for something. "Is she upstairs?"

Gibbs nodded as he narrowed his eyes, watching the man maneuver around the house, obviously very familiar.

"Ah ha. There you are, Mikey," he said, finding the cat on the floor, sprawled out in a sunbeam. Ryan then turned to Gibbs while holding the cat. "I take it she's asleep?" Again, Gibbs nodded. "But she slept before coming out if it?" Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, I don't like that. Mind if we wake her up and make sure she's okay? If she is, then she can go back to sleep."

Gibbs was utterly uncomfortable with the entire scenario. _What the hell was this guy doing?_ He looked at Mary, but she was obviously out of her element. "I guess," Gibbs managed.

"All right then, follow me if you want," Ryan said as he, with Mikey, started taking the stairs two at a time.

Gibbs quickly followed them. Jenny was still sleeping on her side, facing the doorway and Ryan. Gibbs went on the other side of the bed, gently sitting behind her, watching Ryan intensely.

Ryan gently placed Mikey on the bed. "Do your thing, buddy. Mommy needs you."

Gibbs shot him a glare, but Ryan didn't notice. He wasn't looking at Gibbs. He was watching as Mikey head butted Jenny in the face, rubbing his whiskers along her skin, tickling her. Gibbs saw her hand reach up and pet the feline before she jumped with a start.

"Ryan, what are you doing here?" Cat asked, her heartbeat racing. "Oh God, was it all a dream?" she panicked. She started shrieking towards the open door, "Jethro!"

Gibbs quickly grabbed her arm. "Hey, I'm right here."

When she turned around, his heart broke, seeing the stricken look on her face. But when her eyes fell upon him, relief flooded over her and she leapt into his waiting arms. He held her tight.

Ryan saw the worry etched on Gibbs' face. But his own heart was breaking, seeing the obvious bond between the two.

Gibbs caught the look on Ryan's face, seeing Jenny holding onto him for dear life. Quickly his jealousy of the man was replaced with gratitude; gratitude that Jenny had someone who was looking out for her when he couldn't and gratitude that it was his arms that she sought for solace. He knew what it was like to lose her and wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.

Gibbs leaned back to look in her eyes, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears that had escaped. "You okay?"

She looked him in the eye, a tad annoyed. "Now that my coronary has passed. You called Ryan?"

"Actually, he called Mary. We had just gotten together for coffee, so we came right over," he offered.

She looked at Gibbs and then at Ryan. "I zoned again?"

Ryan nodded, "You could have warned him, you know."

She sighed, turning her attention back to Gibbs. "Oops. Sorry if I scared you, but it hadn't happened in a while." She turned back to Ryan. "I was hoping the progress I'd been making had put a stop to them."

She looked around, more awake now. "Hey, can you both go downstairs. I'd rather not have this conversation, with both of you, while in my bedroom." She looked down at herself, before shooting a grateful look towards Gibbs. "Or in my pajamas."

"Of course," Ryan said, before heading out the door.

Before Gibbs could get up, she grabbed his shirt, pulling him to her. "I can't believe you asked for help. I must have really scared you," she said, her voice tinged with guilt.

He kissed her forehead and then put a stray hair behind her ear. "Don't you know there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you?"


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews - they're appreciated more than you know!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs hated leaving Jenny behind to dress, mostly because he preferred her without clothes. He smirked at the thought before making his way downstairs to wait for her… with Mary and Ryan. He slowed his pace as he reached the last couple of stairs, feeling his comfort level plummeting.

"Hey," was all Gibbs could manage as he took a seat in one of the chairs, next to the couch where Mary and Ryan were sitting.

"Is she okay?" Mary asked.

Gibbs shrugged. "She's getting dressed. She'll be down in a sec."

The three looked at each other, no one really knowing what to say. Gibbs had a lot of questions, but he wasn't sure Ryan was the one he should be asking. Then again, Ryan would be the more likely to give him a straight answer.

"So… Ryan… Mary introduced you and… and Catherine?" he asked, still struggling with Jenny's other name.

Ryan looked at Mary, obviously a bit uncomfortable. He shifted a bit before answering. "Yeah."

_Great_. This guy was apparently as chatty as himself. "How long ago?"

Ryan rubbed his hands across his legs. Gibbs wondered to himself why the man seemed nervous to answer his questions.

"I'd have to say around what… a year go?"

Mary nodded.

_OK, well that makes a bit more sense. _The 'three weeks' had thrown Gibbs as to how this man seemed to be so familiar and had such an affect on her in so little time. In truth, they'd been friends first and things had just started to progress. He wasn't sure which scenario he'd have preferred.

Gibbs decided to take another tact. If this guy was trying to be discreet, perhaps Mary would be easier. He turned to face her. "You thought she needed a friend or something?"

Mary was oddly quiet too. "You might want to ask Catherine about it."

Gibbs was losing patience. "Is there a reason why you two seem to be so tight lipped about this?"

"I think because, under the circumstances, they think it's best if I answer your questions, Jethro," Cat answered as she came down the stirs. She was dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a pretty purple peasant blouse that just passed her elbows and didn't fully cover her abdomen 100 percent of the time. She settled into the chair across from Gibbs, pulling her bare feet underneath her.

He smiled, grateful she left her hair down. He was admiring the way the jeans fit her when he snapped out of his reverie, remembering they were in the middle of a conversation. "What _are _the circumstances?" he asked, gently.

She glanced at Ryan. "Are you okay with my telling him?" When Ryan nodded, she turned her attention back to Gibbs. "Mary was worried about me."

"Well, 'worried' might be a bit strong," Mary argued.

Cat rolled her eyes. "He already knows you care, you can drop the tough girl act," teased Cat. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Mary knew Ryan was in… in grief counseling, and she thought it would be good for me to go as well, to have people to speak with about…" she swallowed hard. "About all I had lost."

"Because I had died?" offered Gibbs.

She sighed, realizing Ryan must have said something. She looked at Gibbs, willing him to go along. "Um, yeah."

Gibbs nodded, before turning to Ryan. "I'm sorry, for whoever it was…"

"My wife," Ryan offered. "I was her caretaker for four years as she fought breast cancer. She died 13 months, 17 days and," glancing at his watch, "three and half hours ago, give or take a few minutes."

Gibbs swallowed hard; Ryan's words affected him.

Ryan wasn't too surprised to see how moved the other man was. "Catherine told me about what happened to your wife and daughter. My heart goes out to you."

As if by reflex, a tinge of anger ran through Gibbs - but when he saw Jenny grimace, he realized she hadn't meant any harm by sharing that. She probably had wanted to show Ryan that she understood his pain. He looked in her eyes and silently told her it was okay. He saw the tenseness melt away and he was grateful they still had that connection, the ability to speak volumes to each other with just their eyes.

"Thank you," Gibbs managed. "I wish I could tell you that it gets easier. I mean, I guess it does in a way, but sometimes something happens and it just takes you back, hitting you in your gut all over again."

Cat watched the two men. She wanted to comfort them both but mostly she wanted to run over to Jethro, to throw her arms around him. She knew what this conversation was probably bringing up and she hated that she was the reason. She also wanted to show him the gratitude she felt regarding his kindness to Ryan. She made a mental note to make sure she thanked him properly later when they were alone.

Ryan looked at Gibbs. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It's already happened… a few times. But Catherine understood and her friendship has helped a lot." He turned his attention back to Cat. "We saw each other through more than a few dark periods. I hope we can still be friends."

Cat smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way. I want that, too."

She looked at Gibbs, who nodded. How could he begrudge this guy her friendship? Especially if she was coming home to him? "We both do, Ryan."

Cat looked at Gibbs. She was amazed that after all these years, the man could still surprise her. She turned to Ryan and saw that he was deeply moved as well.

"OK, well that's a little too much feel-goodness for me, folks. I'm outta here," said Mary as she stood to leave. She turned to Ryan. "Are you coming with me or moving in here with them?"

He shook his head at Mary, laughing quietly to himself - obviously used to her inability to deal with emotion. As he went to leave, Cat approached him, touching him on his arm.

"I really am sorry Ry… about everything," she said.

"I thought you said apologies are a sign of weakness."

Cat heard Jethro snort but refused to look over at him. "Not between friends. I never wanted to hurt you."

He leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head. "I know. But honestly, I'm fine. You got your miracle. How could I be anything other than thrilled for you? I'd give anything to have a second chance with Caroline." She nodded. "Besides, you gave me a wonderful gift. I've now had my rebound romance."

Cat laughed. "Right. I can now officially be known as Awkward Rebound Girl. I'm glad that's out of the way. The next woman will only have eyes for you. And if she doesn't, send her my way and I'll set her straight."

"Thanks," he said, squeezing her hand. He turned his attention to Gibbs. "Don't waste this second chance."

Gibbs looked him in the eye. "I won't," he said, sincerely.

Ryan turned to head out.

"Ryan," Gibbs said. He extended his hand when the man turned back around. "Thank you for taking care of her. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough." Ryan smiled and then nodded, an understanding reached between the two men.

Cat looked up at Gibbs, her eyes filled with love.

With that, Ryan left to join Mary outside. Gibbs locked the door behind them. He leaned against it and sighed, obviously worn out by the experience. Cat joined him, leaning over to arm the alarm before turning her attention to Gibbs.

She wrapped her fingers around his belt loops and hung her head down on his chest. "You've gotten way more than you bargained for, haven't you? If you wanted to walk away - hell, even run away - I wouldn't blame you."

Gibbs remained silent. She felt his breathing intensify, his pulse quickening. She looked up finally to see moisture gathering in his eyes. "Jethro?"

He finally met her stare. "How can you say _that_? You don't have any faith in me or my love for you at all, do you?"

He walked away, not even noticing the stricken look on her face.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: The reviews to yesterday's chapter were awesome, thanks you guys! Can't believe how many of you were freaking out over Gibbs' outburst. I loved that! And thank you to the few who trust me to work it out. This is a great time to point out that unlike really smart writers on this website, I don't write many chapters ahead. The most ahead I am is maybe a night. This means that your reviews can really have an affect on the story. For instance, I don't know if I would have had them on the plane longer, but since several commented they wanted them off - poof - they slept the rest of the flight in one sentence and were off. So do realize your reviews can affect story. It's no guarantee of course, but you never know - so keep 'em coming.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Don't walk away from me, Jethro," Cat asked, in a tone between pleading and exasperated.

He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to face her. She walked over to the man she loved more than anything and yet was too nervous to touch him, unsure how mad he truly was. Instead, she stood right behind him. "Please, will you let me explain?"

Gibbs turned to face her; the pain in his eyes melted her heart. She tentatively reached for his hand, grateful that he let her and dragged him over to the couch to sit.

She turned to him, cupping his face in her hands. "You are a silly, silly man. Of course I have faith in your love for me. Don't you get it? _I'm_ the one I don't have faith in. We've been together less than a day and look at all this crazy crap that's been thrown at you. My life is insane! I just didn't want you to feel like you were trapped."

He shook his head. "Don't _you_ get it? You've always thrown crazy crap my way. Granted this is definitely on a whole other level but it's still you and your crazy crap and I love you for it. Do you think Ryan would care what crazy crap his wife put him through if he were given a second chance?"

She shook her head.

"Then why do you think _I_ would?" He saw her struggling to find the words so he continued. "The only reason I can come up with is that you don't believe I really love you. You don't trust me to stick around. And I can't for the life of me figure out what I've said or done to make you feel that way," he said, his frustration building. "I have poured out my heart to you like I've never done before. I have shared my feelings. And I don't _do_ feelings. What will it take?"

She locked eyes with him. Finally, she managed to come up with an answer.

"I'm an ass, aren't I?"

He laughed despite himself. "Yeah, you are. But you're my ass and I love you for it. Come here."

She crawled onto his lap and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. He finally felt his body relax a little when she dropped her head to rest on his chest.

"I'm guessing you still have a lot of questions, Jethro. Anything you want to ask while you have me in your grasp?"

He could feel her smile against his chest. "Yeah, can you explain to me why I'm dead?"

She leaned back to look at him, her eyes shining bright. "Ryan really does have a big mouth. Sweet man but big mouth," she chuckled.

Gibbs smiled, grateful to see her mood lighten a tiny bit.

"Needless to say, only Mary knows about Jenny. To anyone and everyone else I meet, I'm Catherine."

"Okay, wait, I have to interrupt - what made you pick Catherine?"

"Well," she teased. "One of the last things someone quite special once said to me was 'Long live the queen.' So I decided to choose the name of a queen."

He rolled his eyes at the memory. "And why her?"

Jenny arched an eyebrow. "She was _great_."

Gibbs threw his head back, laughing. "Okay, okay, continue. You really are crazy."

She laughed. "You have no idea." As she prepared to tell him, her mood darkened. "The shooting was very traumatic. I thought I _was_ going to die. Before you ask, I have no idea what happened or how I was extracted. I was in a hospital for a little bit, that much I recall. No one visited. Soon I was brought here and Mary… poor thing. Mary was here as I tried to cope."

Gibbs reached for Jenny's hand, rubbing it in his own, trying to comfort her. "What was it like?"

"Hell," she shared matter-of-factly.

He could feel her body tense up as she remembered. He tried to convey comfort and sympathy with his eyes as he continued squeezing her hand. She realized this couldn't be easy for him either so she reached up and caressed his face. He leaned into her hand and then turned to kiss it before encouraging her to continue.

"It's not like I didn't know this life was coming but I thought I would have a bit more time to prepare. Suddenly everything I owned, everyone I knew, everything I was… was ripped away from me. The loss was… overwhelming."

He looked at her, his heart hurting because of what she'd been through. It was a tough thing to wrap one's mind around and he could only imagine what it did to Jenny, who had so much to lose. "And Mary thought you needed help. Grief counseling."

Cat nodded. "It's not like I could go to it and explain how I lost my life."

Gibbs was finally understanding. "So you needed to have someone who was dead."

She crinkled her nose. "Does it make me a horrible person to fake my way into grief counseling?"

He caressed her face. "Doesn't sound to me like you were faking."

She turned her gaze downward, her voice barely above a whisper. "I suppose not. And in my world, I knew you were essentially dead to me. I knew I wasn't allowed to ever see you again, to contact you. And maybe if I still believed you hated me, it wouldn't have been so hard. But after my conversation with Mike…"

Gibbs perked up. "What did Mike say?"

"I had made a comment that you came back from Mexico for the job and he said something that implied you'd spent time… talking about _me_. You have no idea what hearing that did. Suddenly my heart… my heart had hope again. And then it was ripped away. Again. And all the 'what ifs' - well, I was grieving… for all we could have been and were never going to get the chance to be."

He put his finger under her chin to raise her eyes to meet his. "Until now that is."

The smile took over her entire face, lighting up her eyes - and he knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that there was no way he could ever walk away from her.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone! They inspire me! It's been a rough few chapters, so enjoy the fluff. Hope you continue to like this story. Towards the end, I was listening to The Band's "The Weight" and it sort of made think of what they're going through. Just thought I'd share that. "Take a load off Fannie, and you put the load right on me…"

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs and Cat spent the rest of the night together cooking, laughing and keeping things light after such a dramatic day. They settled in to watch a movie but all of the gentle touching and caressing led to more exploration, rediscovering each other's body in a more romantic, more intimate way than their intense lovemaking earlier had allowed. Soon, the movie was completely forgotten as they lost themselves in each other. The next morning, they slept in since they'd spent a good portion of the night making love over and over again.

Gibbs was the first to stir. He slowly rubbed the sleep from his eyes, feeling a bit out of sorts waking up in a strange bed. That is, until he looked over and saw Jenny's head on the pillow next to him. He turned on his side, content to watch her sleep. After a while, he lost patience. He wanted her up. He wanted to be kissing her all over again. _That might be a nice way to wake up in the morning. But will she like it or punch me for waking her up? _

Jethro decided no reward is received without a certain amount of risk. And this was one mission this marine was more than willing to volunteer for. He started with gentle kisses on her exposed clavicle, making his way up her neck, running his finger along her jaw line before following it with kisses. He was surprised that she still wasn't stirring. He continued, dotting her face with feathery light kisses until he arrived at her mouth. What happened next, this marine was hardly prepared for.

As he planted his first light kiss on her mouth, he was greeted by a very awake Jenny, who not only turned his sweet innocent kiss into a lustful, passion-filled one, but she then forced him to turn on his back, climbing on top of him, stretching her naked body along his own, before pulling back and allowing him to breathe.

"Well good morning to you, too," he said in shock. She looked at him with a seductive glint in her eye before making love to him again.

When they were satisfied and both panting, out of breath laying on their backs, Gibbs reached for her hand, threading his fingers into her own.

"Now _that_ is a great way to wake up in the morning," she said.

"I've got no complaints," Gibbs managed, smiling.

"I can't believe the energy I have now."

"I can't believe the energy you have now either," Gibbs said, exhausted, making Jenny laugh.

She snuggled in close to him, resting her chin and one hand on his chest, looking at him. "I feel like a new person, well…" she rolled her eyes. "Maybe not a new one, but more like my old self… not the one in D.C. but when we were together in Europe. I feel 10 years younger, lighter. Does that make any sense?"

He ran his fingers through her hair. "I think what you're trying to say is you're happy, for the first time in a long time. I am too."

"Amazing what having great sex back in your life can do for a gal," she said as she scooted up his body to kiss him on the lips.

"No. We have to wait a while, you're killing me, Jen."

She laughed. "I was only kissing you. Come on, let's get up and go grab something for breakfast. You're taking me out."

"I need to shower first."

She sat up in bed, thinking for a moment. "Can I join you?"

He leaned on his side, looking at her, a smile crossing his lips. "Oh, yeah."

They loved every second of soaping each other up, enjoying their closeness, their fun. After getting dressed, they headed downstairs. Cat went to turn off the alarm before setting it to exit.

"Hey, what's the code?"

Cat sighed, a little nervous to tell him. "Zero, five, two, zero."

He thought to himself for a moment before realizing. "What are you, some kind of masochist?" he said, chastising her.

"Lots of people pick their birthdays, their kid's birthday, things like that. It's easy to figure out. But… how many people put the date of their death? Can you tell me that?"

He sighed. "Why would you want to remind yourself of that every time?"

Cat walked over to him, reaching for his hand. She looked up at him, into his beautiful, questioning blue eyes. "I wanted to keep reminding myself to stay alert, to remember why I was doing this… keeping it real. Can you understand that?"

He nodded.

She reached for his other hand, standing opposite him. "Can you do something for me?" His eyes lit up as he nodded. "Repeat after me. C-a-t-h-e-r-i-n-e. Say it. Because you have been calling me Jen way too much."

He rolled his eyes. "Have you chosen a middle name already? If I mess up, can't we say I call you by your middle name just like you call me by mine?" he pouted.

She tried not to laugh at his whining. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked as she hugged him close to her.

"I can think of a few things," he smiled mischievously.

She leaned back to look at him. "After we eat. I'm starving. And I'll ask Mary and see what she says. You're here less than a day and already contemplating ways to break the rules."

"Are you surprised?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "No, of course not."

But she _was _worried. If he couldn't handle something as simple as her name change, how would he ever handle all that being in this life entails? That was a conversation for another day, another time. Because right now, she wanted to enjoy him and their time together for as long as possible. Before the real world - her weird, crazy new life intruded more than it already had.

He saw the worry in her eyes but he didn't want to know what was behind it. He wanted to enjoy their time together before the tough questions had to be dealt with in order for him to embrace their new life together. Instead he opted for simply taking the beautiful woman in his life out for breakfast… like a normal couple. He was ready for their life to begin.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Again, never let it be said I don't listen to feedback. After some nudging (hi MatteaAM!), from now on I will be referring to our gal as Jenny. She will only be called Catherine in regards to Mary, Ryan or anyone else new to her life. Also, hadn't intended to show breakfast, so not sure how well it works but some tidbits are revealed and tomorrow will probably be a better chapter. But this one is dedicated to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs and TheBreakfastGenie, who wanted to see breakfast. I also want to thank hopesmom999 for the reviews - not sure if you're doing them anon but there isn't a link for me to thank you personally - but THANK YOU!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was excited to show Gibbs her favorite breakfast hangout. While 20-somethings lined the tables outside so they could smoke, most people, including Jenny, preferred to sit inside the New York-style dining room that looked like something out of _Architectural Digest_. As they entered, Jenny waved to Norma, her favorite waitress, who motioned for Jenny and Gibbs to follow her.

Gibbs smirked to himself. Of course Jenny had already charmed the locals. Norma handed them both menus and, upon a head nod from Jenny, filled their coffee cups.

"I'll bring you both water in a second. Here are your menus."

Gibbs squinted at the menu, trying to make out the small print.

Jenny glanced over at him and placed a hand over his. "I was thinking you'd probably like the top sirloin steak. It's seared with potatoes, bacon, caramelized onions and fresh herbs and served with two eggs any style, green chile brioche toast and horseradish crema."

Jethro looked up at her, grateful. "Sounds good. Fancy, but good. You know, it's a pretty large menu." She nodded. "You came up with that suggestion awfully fast," he said with a smile.

"You want to hear me say it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He smirked, nodding. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. There's a strong possibility I may have imagined… what it'd be like to bring you here. Happy now?"

Gibbs took Jenny's hand in his, wrapping his fingers in hers. "Yep."

Jenny laughed to herself as Norma made her way back to the table with their waters. The waitress noticed the two holding hands and a momentary frown crossed her face before she plastered a smile back in its place.

"Your usual Granola and Yogurt, Cath?"

Jenny sensed the woman's displeasure and let go of his hand. Gibbs watched the exchange, frowning.

"Yes, thank you. Norma, this is my…" Jenny hesitated, not exactly sure how to classify them. She didn't want to insult him by saying 'friend' but boyfriend sounded so juvenile at their age. She shot a look at Gibbs, seeking his help.

"Lover," he offered, petulantly, before taking another sip of his coffee.

Jenny closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to keep the laugh down that was bubbling up in her throat. "Norma, this is Gibbs. He'll be getting the Seared Sirloin Hash."

"I'll put your orders right in," Norma offered before shooting Gibbs a glare and walking off.

"You couldn't resist, could you?" she teased.

He didn't find it funny. "And you had to bring me somewhere you shared with Ryan?"

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea I've ever had."

"Ya think?"

She wasn't pleased with his tone. "Ryan wouldn't care. How was I to know the wait staff would?"

"She'll probably spit in my food."

Jenny laughed. But she didn't want him to be uncomfortable. "Should we leave?"

Gibbs appreciated the offer but shook his head. "Nah. But I want you to take a bite of it in front of her and see if she stops you."

"You are a barrel of laughs this morning," she said before taking a sip of her coffee. "That's new and different."

He took her hand in his again. "I'm still in shock that I'm sitting here with you."

She locked eyes with him. "Me too. It's funny, but we've never done… this," she said looking around. "We've never had a relaxing meal together, as a couple, without some op being on our minds. I could get used to it."

He smiled, nodding his agreement. They sat there, looking at each other and enjoying the comfortable silence.

"Hey you two."

Ryan was all smiles. Jenny noticed Norma's interest.

"I promise I'm not staying. I came here with a friend, saw you both and wanted to have a word with you, Gibbs."

Jethro's interest piqued. "What's up?"

He turned his attention to Jenny. "Are you back at work tomorrow?"

"I hadn't even thought about it but I guess I am." She avoided looking at Gibbs, since they hadn't discussed it yet.

"I have most of tomorrow free, until about 2pm when my daughter gets home from school. Cath mentioned that you like to work with your hands, too. Want in on a Home Depot run?"

Gibbs realized he hadn't given much thought to what Jenny's everyday life here was like. Of course she had to have a job and would be working. He gave Ryan's offer some thought. "That'd be great, thanks."

Jenny's eyes went wide, looking between the two of them. She wasn't completely sure she liked the idea but she was grateful to Ryan. This was probably exactly what Jethro needed.

"Pick you up around 10am?" Gibbs nodded. "See you then. Bye, Cath," he said, with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Bye, Ry. And thanks."

He smiled and walked back to his dining companion.

Gibbs watched Jen. "You seem bothered."

Jen sighed. "Not really, but you can't relax with him. Go with the flow about what he says about anything he knows and try not to offer too much in case it contradicts what I've told him already."

He furrowed his brow. "Did you lie about things?"

"Not really, but I wasn't very forthcoming. Probably left him with questions and since he can be very nosy - in a sweet way - he may be seeking answers. From you."

"He won't be the only one," he said with a grin.

But she knew he was serious. _Great_.

"Ah, stop worrying. I'm sure it will be harmless enough."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you going to be buying a boat kit? I don't have a basement."

"We'll see," he said, noting her rolling her eyes. "So, care to tell me where you're working these days?"

Her smile began to fade, her voice lowering. "I work at the local library. I'm a _manager_," she said with difficulty, not able to look at him.

He swallowed hard, trying to keep his anger at bay. He hated how unfair all of this was for her. While it was a perfectly good job, it was a waste of Jenny's incredible gifts and he knew that each day there was probably eating away at her soul.

She looked over at him and could read him, as always, like…well… a book.

"It's not so bad. I get access to anonymous computers whenever I want," she smiled mischievously, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah? And what's the most daring thing you've used them for?" He genuinely wanted to know.

She looked around before whispering, "There's one young girl who uses them… she's interested in science so I may have steered her towards a certain Goth's Twitter feed from time to time, to which I then read over her shoulder."

He sighed. "What the hell is a Twitter feed?"

Jen laughed as Norma arrived with their food. She and Jethro locked eyes. Jen picked up her fork, taking a sample of Jethro's food. She saw him watch Norma as she put it in her mouth. After Norma walked away, Jenny smiled. "I think you'll live."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Listening to Bette Midler's "The Rose" while writing this - may not have been the best idea.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was standing in Jenny's front yard, enjoying the morning air while drinking his second cup of coffee. Yesterday had been a nice day after his brief brush with danger at breakfast.

They'd taken the Sandia Peak Tramway, the world's longest aerial tram ride which takes visitors 2.7 miles to the 10,000-foot peak of the Sandia Mountains. He loved the look of wonder on Jenny's face as she stared out the window.

While there, they hiked various trails, holding hands - simply enjoying being together and almost carefree. Neither wanted to talk about anything too heavy, so a good portion of their time together was spent in comfortable silence, simply drinking each other in.

By the time they'd made it back to the house, both were exhausted and sleep was welcomed.

The morning had been a bit hectic. He may have made Jenny a bit late for work, waking her up in a similar manner to the day before. He smiled at the memory. But off to work she was, and he waited for Ryan.

True to his word at 10am, Ryan drove by in his pickup. Gibbs walked over to the passenger side.

"Nice truck," Gibbs offered. Ryan nodded and the two were off to Home Depot.

It wasn't long before they were loading things into the back of the pickup. The special agent was grateful he'd taken out a lot of cash for his trip to Mexico. He didn't want to use his credit cards, which could allow his nosy agents the ability to track his location.

They picked up a couple of subs to have later for lunch and then drove straight to Jenny's house. Ryan helped Gibbs unload the wood and tools into the backyard.

"I was sure you were going to pick up a boat kit," smiled Ryan knowingly.

Gibbs snorted. He surveyed his wood and his new box of tools, pleased with his purchase. "I thought this was more practical. Thanks for helping me get it back here. Can I get you a drink from inside?"

Ryan sat down at the top of the short stairs that led from the deck down to the backyard, leaning his back against one of the posts. "Yeah, got any beer?"

Gibbs smiled. He was liking Ryan more and more. He quickly returned with two beers and handed one to Ryan before sitting down on the opposite side of the steps.

"So tell me about your daughter," Gibbs asked, genuinely curious.

Ryan's face lit up. "Her name is Melissa. She's just finishing 6th grade and she's quite proud of that. Brilliant and beautiful, just like her mother…." he said, trailing off in thought. "Like her mother _was_," he finished.

Gibbs nodded. He liked seeing how much Ryan loved his daughter. "How'd she get along with Catherine?"

Ryan's expression darkened a bit. "They were pretty close. I really hope she'll still be there for Missy. I mean, within reason."

"I'm sure she'd want that too, Ryan. I bet their friendship meant a great deal to her too."

Ryan nodded. "I'd like to think so. Thanks. You've been pretty cool about all of this. It must have been quite a shock, everything… I can't even imagine how Catherine reacted seeing you again after thinking you were dead. What happened?"

Gibbs remembered the story Jenny had come up with last night anticipating this very question.

_Are you serious, Jen? You think he'll buy it? This is ridiculous._

_He'll think it's so ridiculous it must be true. Besides, you got anything better? Didn't think so._

Gibbs took a deep breath. "She had been away at a work thing when I got word a friend in Europe had gotten sick. I quickly flew out to help him. I left a note telling her to call me, but apparently my ex-wife must have found it, thrown it away and told Cath that I had died."

Ryan's eyes went wide. "Vindictive bitch."

"You have no idea. Diane is a piece of work." _Well that part was certainly easy to say._ "When I got back, Catherine was gone, her phone number was dead and I had no idea how to find her. Diane told me that she'd run into her and said Catherine hated me and taken off with another guy."

Ryan was mesmerized. "And then you two ran into each other and it all came out?"

"Yep." Gibbs felt bad about lying, but it would also keep Ryan - all of them frankly - safe.

"Unbelievable."

Gibbs nodded. "Completely." He swallowed. "So, ready for those subs?"

The two men enjoyed a nice talk while eating lunch. Gibbs learned that Ryan's a carpenter, which he can work around his daughter's school schedule. They don't have to struggle too much with money because of his wife's life insurance. But Gibbs wanted to know more about what was going on with Jenny, so he attempted to steer the conversation that direction.

"You were really great with Catherine the other night…after she zoned. Any idea what that's about?"

Ryan considered the question. "She won't go see a therapist but my guess is it's some kind of Post Traumatic Stress issue. I think when her emotions get too much for her, she is back at that original trauma."

Gibbs pondered what he said. It was a decent theory. "Any idea what that trauma was?" He could actually think of several.

Ryan shook his head. "I was hoping you could tell me. Oh well," he sighed. "You're a lucky guy, Gibbs. Even with all she's been through, she still manages… she has this light about her. I don't know if Missy or I would have made it through without her friendship."

Gibbs looked at Ryan, furrowing his brow. "Are you in love with her?"

He smiled sadly. "Maybe I could have been. But I don't think she ever felt that way about me. I think she felt out of options. It's not the same."

Gibbs nodded.

Ryan gathered his things. "Time for me to head out and pick up my daughter. Get my number from Cath and call me anytime. You're good people, Gibbs. And it's nice to hang out with someone who gets what I'm going through."

Gibbs reached out his hand. "That I do. And thanks for the conversation."

Ryan smiled and walked back to his truck.

Gibbs enjoyed their time together but he was grateful to finally be alone, sitting down with the sun shining on his face. He hadn't had any time to himself since he boarded the plane in D.C., not that he was complaining. Being with Jenny again made him happier than he'd been in who knows how long. It felt better than it had in Europe - or maybe he simply appreciated her more this time around.

He contemplated getting started on his project but he wanted to take a few more minutes to simply be… He looked at the houses on all sides of her, noticing a swing set in the yard to his left. Suddenly his mind was flashing back to his talk with Jenny.

_"I lost our baby."_

His eyes started to well up. His breathing intensified, and his pulse began to race. It was hitting Gibbs all over again. There was another child who died. Another child he couldn't protect. Another child he'd never see grow up.

The emotions were swirling inside of Gibbs, suffocating him. And then another flashback hit him. Jenny was crying.

"_I wanted to have your baby so badly."_

He wanted to scream, but instead he heard the screams of children nearby, arriving home from school, laughing, chasing each other. Children who could have been Kelly's age. Children.

"_Everything would have been so different."_

He knew she was right. If she hadn't lost the baby, they would have stayed together, gotten married. Their child would be the one making it home from school right now, laughing with friends. Their lives _would _have been so different. And the unfairness of it all grabbed his heart and squeezed, breaking it.

Completely overwhelmed, Gibbs picked up one of the planks of wood and started smashing it against the stairs. He didn't stop until the stairs had been smashed to pieces and then he collapsed, exhausted. He fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands and cried.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: As always, thank you all so much for the reviews - they really help to motivate me and are greatly appreciated.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was having a hard time concentrating at work. Of course, that was hardly a new occurrence. The job, while having its perks, wasn't something she could pour herself into - not like being Director of NCIS. But knowing she had one of her very special agents waiting for her at home made today that much more difficult to get through.

"Catherine, the phone's for you."

Jenny nodded to her co-worker before she lifted the phone from its cradle, pressing the flashing button.

"This is Catherine, how can I help you?"

"Hi, Catherine. It's Geep Rogers, your next door neighbor."

Jenny remembered the retired Army man. They had talked back at Halloween, and he had told her all of his observations about their various neighbors. Apparently he found retirement a bit boring and often watched their comings and goings. She had initially felt a bit comforted by this, thinking she had an extra pair of eyes on her house while she was gone, in case anything suspicious happened.

"I thought you should know, there's some crazy man in your yard doing some serious damage with a piece of wood. I was going to call the police -"

"Please don't," Jenny said, cutting him off. "I will take care of it. I really appreciate that you let me know, Geep. Thanks."

Her mind was racing at the possibilities but she didn't really have time for that. Jenny had to get home. She informed her co-worker that she had to go, grabbed her purse and headed for the car.

When she arrived at her house, she headed straight for the backyard, unlatching the gate. As she made her way towards him, her heart started to race and a lump gathered in her throat.

She assessed the scene in front of her. There was a splintered wood plank next to Jethro and the stairs were practically non-existent. She swallowed hard before moving towards him.

She knelt just behind Gibbs, not caring about her skirt or heels. She peered around him and saw his hands, stained with what looked like blood. She saw his pure exhaustion, as well as the dried streaks on his face from tears that had fallen. Her heart hurt just looking at him.

She leaned her head down on his back, shutting her eyes. _What have you done to yourself?_

"Sorry about the stairs," he managed.

"Screw the stairs, Jethro," she said as she sat up, placing her hands on his back and running them up to his shoulders. She used them to pull herself up straight on her knees, slowly wrapping her arms around him, hugging him against her chest - tucking his head under her chin and kissing the top of his head.

She took a deep breath, looking skyward, maybe for strength, maybe for guidance, definitely for patience. She knew better than to push him. Jenny hoped that holding him, feeling her there, would be some kind of comfort.

He watched as she sat down facing him, looking at him with those eyes that could melt stone. He felt horrible for losing control. But he had a feeling she understood.

She leaned her head against his chest and he immediately threaded his fingers through her hair, kissing her head before sighing heavily. She looked at him with love in her eyes and gently caressed his face. The small, exquisite act of love released a few more tears from his eyes.

The unexpected emotion from him jarred her. She had only seen him this vulnerable once, when he woke up from the coma. She knew what had caused the pain that day but she couldn't be sure about right now.

He saw the confusion in her eyes and knew her unasked question. He wasn't ready to talk but he reflexively looked down at her abdomen. He then ran his fingers over it, his breathing quickening.

He was able to meet her eyes once more, and he saw understanding there. He also saw tears forming. They reached for each other, tears flowing freely.

They held each other for what seemed a long time before Gibbs was able to find words. "Maybe I could carve something and we could have a little memorial service, just us."

His beautiful offer left her speechless. All Jenny could do was nod gratefully. He nodded back, a tiny bit of relief flooding over him to have something to focus on, something he could do for the baby he never knew about but now missed desperately.

Jenny slowly made her way to her feet and held out her hand to him. He accepted and then lifted her up effortlessly onto the deck before joining her. They walked back into the house.

She threw her purse on the counter before motioning for him to sit on the stool at the kitchen counter. She reached into a cabinet and took down a tumbler. She grabbed a bottle of bourbon and poured him a good amount, handing it to him. Grateful, he took a generous sip before placing it down.

He watched as she silently rummaged through drawers, finding a rag. She then disappeared into the bathroom, returning with rubbing alcohol, tweezers and some cotton balls. She motioned for him to drink some more, before running the rag under water.

She returned to him, scooting his legs open so she could stand close to him as she examined one hand at a time. He'd be a little more nervous if the scent of her wasn't so intoxicating, sending his mind to other places.

Jenny was pleased that he seemed distracted. She looked at his hands and took the wet rag to gently dab at the dried blood, removing it so she could get a better look at the damage.

Gibbs didn't have the heart to tell her he could probably do a better job of it himself. Frankly, he enjoyed letting her take care of him. Anything that kept her close, where he could stare at her without having her yell at him for hovering, seemed like a good idea. _Ow_. He gritted his teeth, not willing to show any pain.

Jenny smirked. She knew that had to hurt but of course Gibbs would insist on being macho, especially after being so vulnerable earlier. She'd let him have that. Luckily, he didn't have too many splinters, and she was done quickly. She put her tools aside and re-examined his hands. She gently stroked them, concentrating to see if she felt any more. She looked at Jethro as she did it, to see if his face registered any indication that she'd stumbled upon another one. But all she saw was contentment, making her smile.

"Are we done, do you think?" she asked, as she began to move away.

His hands stopped her, trapping her close to him. "Hardly," he said.

She slipped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. He was surprised by the look of sadness in her eyes.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you, Jethro? You really scared me today."

"I know the feeling," he said gently.

She sighed. "I suppose you do," she admitted, leaning her forehead against his own. "But I do have to say one thing - I'm so glad you were able to get it out. It's so important not to turn those feelings onto yourself. Maybe if I'd been able to do that more…"

He leaned his head back to look in her eyes. "Has the grief counseling been able to help?"

"Some, I suppose. I really don't know what would have happened to me if I didn't at least have Ryan and the group during this past year."

"I'm so impressed you opened up to them, Jen. I tried for years to get you to talk about things."

She sighed. "I know. It's just that things with us were too complicated then. But I want to be able to tell you things now. I guess I know how much not telling you damaged me. They helped me see that I need to feel my way through it, to talk, if I have any hope of healing and moving forward."

"Wow."

She laughed, a bit self conscious. "I know. You hardly recognize me now, right?"

"Oh I see you," he managed. "And I know exactly who you are, Jennifer Shepard."

They locked eyes.

"And who's that?" she asked.

He cupped her face lovingly in his hands. "The woman who's become everything to me."


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I hope this works for you guys. It was a chapter that didn't really want to get written. Thanks as always for the reviews - you guys are awesome!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Why are you crying?"

Jenny sighed, exasperated. "You can't say the sweetest thing you've ever said to me and not think I'd be a puddle afterwards. You know, I've cried more in these last few days than in past decade."

Jethro hugged her tightly against him. "Me too," he whispered in her ear, making her smile.

"Dare I ask how it went with Ryan?"

"You're standing between my legs, resting in my arms and you're asking _that_? No," he waved a finger at her. "Don't dare. Kiss instead," he said, letting his hands drop to her ass.

She glanced over her shoulder, noting his hands' location, before turning her gaze back to him, raising an eyebrow. "How good a kiss do you expect this to be if I'm worrying about what happened with Ryan?"

"It went fine," huffed Gibbs. "He believed that ridiculous story. And you can remove that smirk right now."

"Aren't you glad now that we prepared?"

"Can you just shut up already and kiss me?"

"Your honey words, Jethro. What happened to the romantic of two minutes ago? When did this cave man get here?"

"I'll show you cave man," and with that, he threw her over his shoulders, ignoring her squeals of protest. "Damn it, Jen, watch your feet - you're going to kick me in the head."

"Put me down, Cave Man."

He stopped dead in his tracks. "You really want me to?"

She leaned over further and smacked him on the ass. "No, hurry up to wherever you're taking me."

He smiled as he walked over to the couch to deposit Jenny on her back before landing on top of her, kissing her passionately. They continued to lose themselves in each other - their way of communicating but also their way of avoiding.

The next day, Gibbs drove Jenny to work so that he could have the car. He then headed back to Home Depot to pick up supplies to fix the stairs, along with replacement wood for his project. He was pleased with his progress on the steps, and it wasn't long before he realized it was time to pick up Jenny. First he jumped in the shower, rinsing away the day's hard-earned sweat. He then grabbed the keys, armed the alarm and headed out.

He parked the car and headed inside. When he reached Jenny, he could tell she was angry.

"What's going on?"

"In the car," she said curtly.

Once they were in the car, she let loose. "We've got trouble," she said, eyes blazing. She saw the confusion in his eyes. "It's your damn agents."

He sighed, rubbing his hand across his face. "What'd DiNozzo do now?"

"According to Abby's Tweets, Tony has created a pool - with an entrance fee of $50 - the first one to find out where you're vacationing wins."

Gibbs worked hard to keep his anger in check. "I can kill him."

"That would still leave McGee, Ziva and Abby in the running. You can't kill all of them," she said matter-of-factly, as if it was actually a possibility.

"Did Abby mention their progress?"

"They know you at least made it here," she said. "And that the trail has run cold because there's no sign of ATM, credit card use or evidence of a car rental. The only good news being that they find it hard to believe this was your last stop."

He closed his eyes, as her words sank in. "I have to call them, don't I?"

"If you do, they'll be able to run a trace. And then how do you explain that you know they're doing this?"

"Or, do we do nothing? The trail will be cold. What more can they find out?"

"Jethro, I'm not pleased with Albuquerque being on their minds at all," she yelled. "I don't know who in that building knows about me and if they do, how much they know. This fishing expedition of theirs is dangerous and it needs to be called off."

Now Jethro was getting exasperated. "What do you want me to do about it, Jen, if you won't let me call them?"

She sat silently for a few minutes, and he saw the wheels in her head turning, contemplating various strategies. "OK, of the four involved, which one do you think would ask the least amount of questions yet have the most influence over the others?"

"Hard to say. Abby cares about me the most."

Jen thought about it. "But does she follow your orders without question? Is there a possibility she would over think what you say and do the opposite, thinking she was helping you?

He had to give Jen that. Even her thinking was a bit convoluted.

"Well, it's obviously not Tony. McGee?"

"McGee _is _a possibility. He certainly respects you enough to do as you say. But could he put the fear of God into the others to stop them?"

At Jenny's words, both realized the only option.

"Ziva," they said in unison.

"Come on, follow me," Jenny said. They got out of the car and went inside the library, where Jenny led Gibbs to a pay phone.

"Call her from here, make it quick so even if they think of putting a trace on it, they can't. Never should have considered your cell phone in the first place. Probie mistake," she said.

He put his fingers through her hair, tilting her head up so he could kiss her lips. "I'll fix this. I promise."

She smiled, letting the feel of his kiss linger on her lips.

She grabbed all the change she had and held it for him to stick in the phone. He then dialed.

"David."

"Ziva, do not say who this is."

"Understood," she said, turning in her chair so her back was to Tony.

"I'm only going to say this once. I know about the bet to find out where I am. To say that I'm going to make all of your lives a living hell when I return is an understatement. I don't care what you have to do, but make this go away. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

Gibbs immediately hung up and took a deep breath. "Did I sound menacing enough?"

Jenny wrapped her arms around his waist. "You had me quaking in my heels," she said, biting her lower lip. "Of course, I also found it incredibly sexy."

"But do you think it worked?"

She sighed. "We better hope so."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Thanks as always for the reviews - you guys make it so much easier to continue.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The next day, Jenny called Gibbs from work to inform him that Abby's Twitter feed said the pool had been disbanded, but it didn't go into detail as to why. It also mentioned they'd caught a case. Both were grateful that, for at least a little while, the team would be distracted.

Jenny glanced at her watch. She was at her favorite lunch place, and Mary would be there any moment. The U.S. Marshal had called, asking to meet for an update. Jenny waved her over to their booth in the back.

"Glad you could get away," Mary said as she slipped into her seat across from Jenny.

"I figured you were going to want a status update at some point."

The two were interrupted by their waitress, who took their orders and then slipped away to the kitchen.

"So do I have a disaster on my hands or what?"

Jenny deadpanned, "Always the eternal optimist."

Mary narrowed her eyes. "Always the deflector."

Jenny hated that the marshal could read her almost as well as Gibbs. "Maybe ask me a more pointed question. It might be easier to answer."

"You know what my question is. Is he going to be a problem?"

Jenny considered her answer carefully. _He hates rules, hates not being in control and is very emotional now so completely unpredictable. Of course he's going to be a problem. "_I'm hopeful he won't be," she said as she took a sip of her coffee.

"You know, Catherine, 'hope' isn't comforting. Have you spoken to him about the program and all it entails yet?"

Jenny sighed before quietly responding, "Not yet."

Mary's eyes widened. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

Jenny couldn't hide her pained expression. "It's only been five days. Am I so wrong for wanting to enjoy some time together before having _that_ conversation?"

Mary studied her. "You don't trust he'll stay, do you?"

Jenny felt her heart ache, hating the words Mary was saying. She hated it more that she could be right. "I know he loves me. He says all the right things."

"So why not talk with him about it?"

Jenny avoided Mary's glare. She thought about her words for a few moments before quietly responding. "What if it's too much for him? It's been too much for me, but I don't have a choice. He does."

If Mary were one to have feelings, she'd feel horrible for Catherine. "He seems devoted to you. He also seems very strong. Maybe leaning on him could bring you both closer."

Jenny smiled. "Wow, Mary. That was very close to warm fuzzies territory. You feeling all right?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "I'm only trying to help."

"I know. And I do appreciate it."

Mary hated to push her, but the sooner everyone was on the same page, the better. "OK, if day five is too soon, when do you plan on talking with him about it? Keep in mind, it could take a few days to work through this - you probably shouldn't wait until the last minute."

"I know," she said wistfully.

Mary really didn't enjoy seeing Catherine in this state. She knew if she wanted lunch to be less morose, she would have to change the mood. "So what's it been like having him back?" _Yep, that did it_. Catherine was glowing.

"More amazing than I could have imagined," she beamed. "Everything is better than ever. I swear, every day he astounds me more and more. I'd go on, but then I think you'd get uncomfortable."

"I already am," teased Mary. "So why stop?"

Jenny laughed. "Seriously? This isn't making you sick or anything?"

"I'm guessing you don't have many people to talk to about _this_. Ryan probably isn't a great option anymore."

"He's actually been incredible about everything. I think he and Gibbs are starting a bromance. Not sure how I feel about that."

"Well, they do have a lot in common," acknowledged Mary.

"A scary amount. I'm glad he has someone to talk with about things, though it's probably stressful to have to watch what you say all the time. I am very grateful for you, if I haven't said that before."

"That's what I'm here for. So come on, tell me more. I have to live vicariously through you."

"Well, it hasn't been all fun." She lowered her voice. "I told him about the miscarriage."

Mary almost dropped her drink. "Wow. That must have been huge. I remember what _not_ being able to tell him about it did to you. How did that go?"

"You were called over for the aftermath."

Mary grimaced. "Oh right. I had wondered…"

"A couple of days later, he broke down. Destroyed the stairs out back. He's fixing them, don't worry."

"Those poor stairs," she laughed. "How long has it been since Ryan fixed them after you did the same thing with my bat?"

Jenny bit her lower lip. "Yeah, I'll have to share that with him at some point."

Mary shook her head. "You two are way too similar."

Jenny took a deep breath. "That's what scares me."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Enjoy the E-ticket ride, folks.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Later that evening, Gibbs and Jenny were relaxing together on the couch, full from the Chinese takeout they'd shared for dinner.

"Spill it, Jen. Something's on your mind."

She turned her attention from the strand of hair she'd been absently twirling to look in his deep blue eyes.

"I saw Mary today. She said we really need to discuss what happens after these two weeks are over."

She watched him as he stayed silent, yet holding her stare. He then looked away and said, "I was hoping that wouldn't come up until next week sometime."

She turned away from him, pulling up her legs to rest her chin on them. "I know. Me too."

"We still could, you know."

She shook her head. "We have enough elephants in the room already, don't you think? Let's at least put this one out of our misery."

He furrowed his brow. "You really think we're avoiding a lot? Then why have I felt more emotionally drained than I have in ages?"

She crawled onto his lap and took his face in her hands. "I know. I guess because we're very complicated people, living very complicated lives. Can you really look at me and say you don't have any questions?"

He lowered his head. She followed suit, leaning her forehead against his. "And yet, Jethro, you don't ask. So you tell me, do you think we have a few elephants still here with us?"

He leaned back. "Why are you pushing this?"

She searched his eyes. "What are you scared of?"

He was a bit taken aback. "Oh I don't know, maybe seeing you disappear again in front of my eyes? You have to admit, Jen, you do feelings even worse than I do."

His words, while true, still stung. She got off his lap and walked towards the kitchen.

"Hey wait, where are you going?"

"To pour myself a drink."

He rolled his eyes. "I thought you wanted to talk."

She stopped in her tracks. Without turning around she asked, "So how long do you plan on staying in D.C. when you fly back?"

He stood up but didn't move towards her. "I haven't figured that out yet."

She turned around, her arms wrapped around herself. "Are we talking weeks? Months? Longer?" she managed, trying hard not to cry at the thought of his being without him.

Seeing the look on her face caused his heart to leap to his throat. "As long as it takes to get you out of this mess." _Oops._

Her eyes went wide - suddenly all the pain on her face turned to anger. Red. Hot. Anger. "Damn you, Jethro! I _knew_ it. I knew you were planning something. Have you lost your mind? You can't FIX this!"

"How do you know? You haven't even told me what _this_ is!" he yelled back, matching her intensity.

She rushed towards him, getting in his face. "I haven't told you because I knew you'd try to control the situation - and would end up getting one or both of us killed."

"So you don't trust me, is that what you're telling me, Jen?" he said icily.

"Don't get indignant with me Special Agent Gibbs. I'm not the one who two seconds ago said he was going to FIX this."

"Ya do or you don't, Jen. It's that simple."

"Simple, you say? Silly little me, right Jethro? Of course _you _could fix this," she said, working herself up. "Forget the fact that it was too big for CIA and FBI to handle without throwing me in WITSEC." She saw him wince, but a myriad of emotions were taking over her and she couldn't stop. "Lord knows a few minutes with Super Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the case and poof - all my problems will be solved. Is that what you're telling me?"

He remained silent for a few moments, staring at her. "CIA _and_ FBI?"

She swallowed, calmer now that it seemed she'd gotten through to him. "Yeah. That I know of. Could be NCIS, NSA and the White House too, but I don't know."

His eyes softened, his heart hurting for her. "_Who_ is after you?"

She locked eyes with him. "An entire arms dealer's network was dispatched to find and kill me."

"Shit," he yelled, bitterly.

"Yeah, that about covers it," she agreed.

He quickly moved to take her in his arms and hold her close.

She held on to him for dear life. "I'm sorry I got so angry. I know you meant well. I just need you to realize this is too big."

He held her even more tightly, if that was even possible. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

She leaned back. "Do you understand that right now, you're the one in the best position to hurt me? WITSEC has a tremendous success rate - except when someone breaks the rules. And we both know how much you enjoy doing just that."

"Your happiness and safety are my top priorities," he said.

She eyed him carefully. "And that means…what exactly? You'll play by the rules?"

He hated that she wasn't giving him any wiggle room, trying to nail him on exact words.

"Yes, I'll play by the rules."

He just didn't tell her whose rules.


	23. Chapter 23

Jenny heard the words out of Gibbs' mouth, but she was having a hard time believing he would actually play by the rules. She filed the thought away, planning to revisit it again at a later time. Though enjoying his embrace, she pushed a bit further.

"There's still a great deal we need to discuss."

She felt his body tense up, but she knew she couldn't keep avoiding the subject. Time has a horrible habit of flying, and these two weeks would be over before they knew it. She buried her head in his chest.

"Like what?" Not that he didn't have several ideas, but he figured he'd let her take the lead. He rubbed her back, wanting to feel physically close even if he feared where their discussion could lead them emotionally.

"What you'll do with your house; your job there; what you'll do for work here; your new identity - though I do have a few thoughts on that."

He was beginning to feel a little sick. What if he couldn't get her out of the program? These were all things he would actually have to consider. And if he was to be honest with himself, at least - he hadn't.

He managed to find his voice. "Yeah?"

Jenny was feeling sick too. Because while Gibbs was seemingly unreadable to the masses, to her he was an open book. And right now, the pages were revealing a man feeling trapped.

She continued on regardless, determined to figure out exactly where his head was at - or not at. "I was thinking your last name could be Gibson. Jethro Gibson, and that people call you Gibbs for short. Keeps everything golden with Ryan and anyone else you may have already come into contact with."

He released her from his embrace and walked to the couch, sinking deep into it. "Seems like you've been giving this a lot of thought."

Jenny followed, sitting down next to Gibbs but she couldn't look at him any more. Under her breath she managed, "Someone had to."

There was silence - and not the comfortable kind they were used to sharing. This one was tinged with sadness.

"I'm living in a dream world, aren't I?" she said before she finally looked at him. "You can't do this, can you?"

His breathing quickened and the sick feeling he had before worsened. He realized if he said that he could, she would be able to tell he was lying. But would it really be a lie? Wouldn't he do anything to be with her? He hadn't considered what would happen if he _couldn't_ fix things.

She took his silence to mean that she was right. She lifted her hand up to caress his face, trying to hold back the tears that were screaming to get out. "It's okay. It was a lot to ask."

Something inside him snapped. He grabbed her hand forcefully. "Don't."

She looked at him, stunned by his intensity. "Don't what?"

His raw emotions took over his mouth, leaping out without thought. "Don't make assumptions about how I feel, and stop trying to give me an out."

"Then stop looking like you want one," she said, shaking out of his grip before she stood up and started walking towards the stairs.

He chased after her and shoved her against the wall, pinning her arms above her head and leaning into her, his breath hot against her face. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he whispered into her ear, his lips grazing the side of her face.

She felt her knees go weak, her heart racing as he maneuvered his body more firmly against hers. His hands released her own before getting lost in her hair, his lips moving their kisses to her neck. It took all of her strength, emotionally and physically, to push him off of her.

"Stop it. Screwing me right now is not going to change or solve anything," she yelled.

He looked at her with a mixture of shock and pain. He started to say something but thought better of it and instead headed for the door.

"Damn it, Jethro - don't walk out that door," she said exasperated.

He stopped in the doorway. Without turning around he said, "Don't wait up." He then slammed the door. Gibbs took a few steps outside and realized he had no idea where to go, so he settled for walking around the block.

He hadn't gotten past the front gate before Jenny was out the door following him. As mad as he was, he didn't like the idea of her being out at night, so he stopped in his tracks.

"Get back inside," he said forcefully, stopping himself before he said her name.

She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, bringing him to her, locking eyes. The light of moon along with a couple of street lights made finding his eyes easier. She tried to convey her fear, her love, her confusion, everything - in a look, willing him to understand.

When he saw a single tear make its way down her cheek, his anger melted away. He enveloped her in his arms. They stayed that way, holding onto each other, afraid to let go.

Finally, he swooped down, picking her up in his arms as she wrapped hers around his neck, burying her face. He brought her in the house, placing her down gently before shutting the door and arming the alarm.

She stood on the first stair, holding out her hand. He quickly shut off all the lights before lightly taking her hand, letting her lead him up the stairs to their bedroom.

Jenny turned on the lamp next to her side of the bed, with its warm glow welcoming them.

She turned back to him, dropping her head to his chest. "I don't mean to hurt you."

He took a deep breath, looking up, closing his eyes as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "I know. You're scared."

"I am scared," she agreed. "But I'm more scared of living without you than I am of dying."

Her confession sent his emotions into overdrive. If any of his previous ex-wives had ever said anything like that to him, it would have had him running for the hills. But coming from this woman in front of him, it wasn't fear he felt but rather… incredible honor. He was acutely aware of how lucky he was, knowing that she could have any man - and still chose him.

As if reading his mind, Jenny continued, "I've done without you, Jethro, and I was dead inside. I don't want to go back to that; I can't go back to living like that. With all the unfairness I've had to experience, _that_ would be the worst."

He tilted her head up to look at him. "What are you saying, Jen?"

She stood silently, drinking him in, trying to find the courage to say what she had to say next. "I will tell you everything. If you still think you can do something, then I'm with you all the way," she said.

Suddenly his heart was a thousand times lighter, hope filling it until it felt like it could burst. He couldn't contain his smile. "Are you sure?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. "I do trust you, Jethro," she whispered. "I trust you not just with my life, but even more miraculously - I trust you with my heart."


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Thanks to AlyiahNCIS for being beta on this and dealing with my crazy town anxiety (extra kudos for doing it while being sick!), and also to MatteaAM for pretty much the exact same thing (minus the sick). Please don't allow something you're about to read turn you off to this story; please be patient and realize it's a means to an end - and hopefully worth it. Ironic that "Against All Odds" was playing as I wrote this. Never realized how good this song is for them in this world.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The next morning, Gibbs woke up first. He looked over to see Jenny still sleeping. He sat up a bit and leaned his head on his hand, content to watch her. He never tired of looking at her, her beauty always took his breath away. She looked so innocent and happy when she was asleep, no worry lines etched on her face, no horrible memories replaying in her mind.

He loved the way her lips would curl as sleep began to leave her. Her body would slowly move, stretching her arms out with her hands in fists, reaching out as far as they could go before retracting back to nestle under her pillow. Then slowly her eyes would begin to open, a few quick blinks before staying open, noticing his smiling face looking down at her.

"Have you been up long," she asked lazily.

He shook his head. "Not too long."

"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked as she scooted herself closer so he could wrap his arms around her.

He leaned his head down, kissing her hair. "Because I love watching you sleep."

"More than snuggling?" she purred into his ear, before nipping at it.

"Who are you - Mikey?"

"Are you saying you're not enjoying it?" She continued to kiss at his ear before moving down his neck.

"Hell no," he said before rolling her on top of him, causing her to release a tiny squeal.

She caught a peek at the clock and decided to roll over all the way, to the other side, bouncing off the bed.

"Hey, where ya going?"

She pointed at the clock. "I have to get ready for work shortly. Might as well start now."

He sat up, shaking his head and pointed his finger next to him, implying she needed to come sit down. "You still have at least 15 minutes before you need to shower. Come sit."

"No funny business, right?" she asked, batting her eyes innocently.

"Fine. I won't lay a finger on you."

She pouted. "Really?"

"Lady, make up your mind. You're driving me crazy."

She sat down, wrapping the sheet around her nakedness. "What's on _your _mind?"

"What do you think?" he asked, moving a lock of hair off her shoulder so it could fall down her back.

"You want to talk about my case now?"

He nodded. "It will give me all day to think about it while you're gone - to consider options."

She sighed. "Where to begin…"

"Try at the beginning."

She looked at Jethro - and the last thing on her mind was her case. Jenny wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers with him, but she knew he was right.

She took a deep breath. "It began that night at the marina. The night La Grenouille was killed."

He threw his head back, rolling his eyes. "Please tell me you're kidding. The damn Frog? Again?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I already know what happened," Gibbs offered. "I know you shot him - and I don't blame you."

She looked at him, her eyes going wide. "Really? So you… know this? You _know_… this is what your incredible investigative powers have told you? REALLY?" She stood up, taking the sheets with her as she walked around the room incredulous. "These same investigative powers I'm supposed to now trust with my life?" She was becoming shrill. "Are you freaking kidding me?"

He furrowed his brow. "I said I was okay with it."

She mumbled to herself as she headed for the shower. "I'm so screwed."

He yelled from the bed, "I don't think we're done yet! And I'm cold," he pouted.

Gibbs waited patiently for her to finish her shower. When Jenny came out again, she saw him holding and petting Mikey, making her smile.

"He's keeping me warm since someone walked off with the sheets," he said in mock anger.

She walked back into the bathroom, grabbed the sheets and threw them at his head. "Sorry," she said, trying not to laugh. She went to her dresser, grabbing the items she was planning to wear that day.

"So that little tantrum you threw earlier…"

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"So that means you _didn't _kill the Frog?"

She pulled on her jeans and buttoned up her blouse before sitting on the end of the bed. "If I had, I wouldn't be in this situation," she said, motioning to the house.

"So you saw who did it?"

Jenny nodded. "I felt nothing. He was dead, and I didn't care. If anything, I was probably relieved."

Jethro tried to study her body language, but he was a bit lost. Finally he simply asked, "And now?"

"Now?" she rolled her eyes. "Now I wish I had never seen it so I could have my life back." She saw the confusion in his eyes. "It wasn't a problem at first. But then CIA lost control of the situation, and they came to me. They needed my help to put the guy away."

Gibbs shook his head, getting angry. "This doesn't make any sense. What made them suddenly care about his death when the damn thing was supposedly sanctioned by them?"

Jenny locked eyes with Jethro. "Or so we were told."

Jethro, a man surprised by very little in life, was feeling just that.

Jenny continued. "Apparently one of the CIA's prized agents - one they had invested over 15 years in a single undercover mission - screwed them. He was so deep undercover into the arms dealing world that he ended up taking it a little too seriously and became a lethal threat to them and several operations they had going in Europe."

"Are you saying…"

"I'm saying Trent Kort went rogue. Who knows if he ever was loyal to CIA or if he used them right back," she said bitterly.

"I'd almost laugh at CIA if it wasn't such a nightmare."

Her whole body deflated, her head falling forward. She rubbed her hands along her neck before tossing her head back. "He was wreaking havoc with their European operations, giving away info, jeopardizing agents the world over. He had to be taken down. But for some reason, they felt they couldn't just kill the bastard like the normal CIA we all know and love. Nooooo. Instead, they needed to snatch him and have a reason to hold him."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, now understanding. "Enter the one crime they could nail him on."

She nodded. "They briefed me. Then they asked if I'd testify. Not like I could say no - not with all that was at stake."

Gibbs moved towards her across the bed, sitting behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders, massaging the knots he knew were there. She melted into his touch, grateful more than ever to have him with her. As he continued relieving her stress, she filled in the details of that night as well as her part in the upcoming trial.

"I'm so sorry, Jen."

"Yeah, me too."


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Wow, Chapter 25 already. It's finally happened. I wrote a long chapter and didn't feel like breaking it up in two. Hope it keeps your attention. Thanks as always for the reviews - they make my day!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs arrived at the library a few minutes early to pick up Jenny. He leaned against the wall, watching her with a little girl. The youngster was enraptured by some story Jenny was telling her in a rather animated fashion. She then reached for the book Jenny had, hugged it to herself and ran off to her mother. He watched as Jenny stood up, smiling. After the girl and her mom were out of sight, he noticed the smile replaced with a hint of sadness. The casual observer probably couldn't tell the difference but he was no casual observer. He was the man who loved her.

Jenny glanced at her watch and then turned her eyes his direction, a huge smile returning as their eyes met. She turned to grab her purse, say goodbye to her co-worker and headed towards him.

"Don't you look incredibly dashing. Nice suit… and tie," her eyes furrowed. "That I picked out for Ryan when he had a special Daddy/Daughter dance with Missy." She looked at him questioningly.

He rolled his eyes. "Should have known you'd know right away. You would. What do you want from me? I didn't pack anything nice for slumming around Mexico," he said sheepishly.

She laughed. "Something nice, hmm… And what do you have behind your back?"

"I think you deserve a special night, so…" He pulled from behind his back one of her cute little black dresses, along with a pair of strappy heels. "I figured you'd want to change."

"And you couldn't take me home first to do that?"

"No time. Not if we're going to make our reservation at Lucia's."

She was beaming ear-to-ear. "I am suitably impressed. I don't suppose you have my makeup bag in your other hand."

He smiled as he pulled it out.

She squealed quietly. "You are scoring some serious points tonight, Jethro!" She took her things and kissed him before she turned for the bathroom.

"You have 15 minutes," he called out as she headed inside.

Once there, Jenny went through her makeup bag and found he'd also included the perfect earrings and bracelet. She kept shaking her head, barely believing how thoughtful he was being. This was the same guy who spent three years blowing her off, being dismissive and the worst offense - not noticing when she got her hair cut and yet now was picking out entire outfits for her? Who was this man?

Of course she knew the answer to that. He was the man who made it so she couldn't stop smiling. Her. The ice queen. Not anymore - for him she was a complete puddle.

Outside, Gibbs was waiting patiently, replaying her reaction over and over in his head. He adored seeing her happy and knowing he was the reason. He was determined to make the evening as magical as he could for her.

He'd spent a good part of the day working on his project in the backyard, trying simultaneously not to think of their impossible situation and also how to solve it. The stress he'd been feeling for her over this had taken its toll - and he'd only been experiencing it for six days. Thinking about what it must have done to Jenny over the past year… well, it made him determined to do all that he could for her. And tonight would be the start of it.

Jenny took one last look in the mirror. The door opened and one of her co-workers walked in. The look on the woman's face said everything. So did her quiet whistling.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know it's a bit much but my… um, I'm going out tonight to Lucia's. Could you do me a favor and throw this stuff in my desk drawer so I can make a big entrance for him?

The co-worker smiled conspiratorially before nodding. The two women hugged goodbye before Jenny exited.

She walked out and caught Gibbs' eyes as he spotted her. The look - and his smile - was worth the hurried effort. She walked over to him and reached for his hand. He whispered in her ear, "I knew you'd look dynamite in this but you literally take my breath away."

He was surprised to see her blush, but it made him very happy. He slipped his hand to the small of her back to guide her to the car. He opened it, helping her inside. He did the same on the other end, enjoying the view of her legs as she gracefully stepped out of the car. In heels. _How does she do that?_

Inside, they were both impressed with the ambiance, the low light giving off a romantic feel. Jenny looked around at the Southern Spain/Moorish influence. "It's truly as magnificent as I heard," she said, her eyes lit up with wonder, drinking in every enchanting touch.

He was sure it was as incredible as she said, but he only had eyes for her.

The waitress came over and delighted in answering every question Jenny had for her about the wine and various dishes. Jenny said she would order for them both, and he nodded. She settled on starting with Young Field Greens & Prosciutto Figs, to be followed by Sopa de Poro and then for the main dish, Seared Sea Scallop and Sugared Shrimp for her. Jenny suggested they may want to share the first two courses, and then ordered the New York strip with crab claws for his main course. Gibbs heartily concurred. The waitress then left to get the wine.

He loved how excited she was about the meal. He got the feeling she wasn't eating out at places like this very often. Then again, how could she? Jenny was on a stricter budget than she enjoyed as head of NCIS.

The first two courses were incredible, and he loved sharing them with her as she explained every element she could place about the various tastes.

Before the third course could be brought out, there was a ruckus being made in the kitchen. A man screamed something they couldn't understand and then some women started crying. Jenny saw the panicked look on Gibbs' face, especially when he reached for his gun and realized he wasn't carrying. She motioned to her purse, which of course held her trusty Beretta. They shared a knowing look, once again partners in synch with each other, when the man burst out of the kitchen, smiling and handing out cigars to all the men in the restaurant.

Jenny and Gibbs couldn't help but laugh, instantly relaxing. The man turned out to be the manager of the restaurant and his wife had just given birth to their third child - a son this time. Gibbs shook the man's hand and took the cigar, placing it in his jacket pocket.

A bottle of wine was opened and everyone was given a free glass to toast the new father. Jenny was beaming, loving being a part of the frivolity that was infecting everyone in the restaurant. They both stood up and joined the other patrons in the toast. It wasn't long before he'd left the restaurant and things returned to normal, other than the waitresses gathered in a corner, giggling at the picture he'd left for them of the newborn.

"Unbelievable," Jenny said, unable to stop smiling. "What a beautiful moment to witness."

"You okay about it?"

She looked at him. "You are so sweet, but yes, I'm fine. If I got upset at every mention of a child, I'd never be able to function. Kids are everywhere, if you haven't noticed." She then looked at him and realized, while she'd had years to process it - not that she actually did - it was all very fresh for him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded just as their main course arrived, effectively changing the mood. Everything was delicious and the conversation remained light as the two basked in being together.

After the bill was paid, she took his arm and they walked out of the restaurant.

"It's a beautiful night, care to walk around a little?" he asked. She smiled as he took her hand in his, leading her down the quaint walkway, which was decorated with tiny white lights. Music played over well-placed speakers, giving it a magical feeling. "Moon River" began to play, and Jethro noticed Jenny's eyes light up.

"My mother and father used to love this song. She'd make him stop whatever he was doing and dance with her. One of my favorite memories. It feels like a sign, like maybe they're watching and they approve."

Gibbs stopped in his tracks and turned to her. "May I have this dance?"

She looked around, a little embarrassed, but noticed there weren't many people there. "Are you sure?"

"Come on. Live a little."

She couldn't contain her smile as she placed her other hand on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her snugly against his chest. They spent the entire dance looking into each other's eyes. His heart was beating quickly as an idea swept over him.

When the music was nearing the end, he got down on one knee.

In shock, Jenny's eyes went wide. "What the hell are you doing, Jethro?"

He held both of her hands in his. "Marry me."

Jenny looked around and saw that the few people who were around were starting to stare. She whispered, "Jethro, get up."

"Not until you answer me."

So Jenny kneeled down. "Have you lost your mind? How much wine did you drink?"

"Why are you so surprised, you know how I feel."

"Have you given this _any _thought? I used to wonder how you could have been married so many times but I'm beginning to gain some insight."

"Oh come on."

"So _did _you give this any thought? Do you even have a ring?"

The panicked look on his face answered her question. Then suddenly he had an idea and reached into his jacket pocket, retrieving the cigar from earlier. He took off the band and held it up to her.

"Let me try this again," he said, taking her left hand in his. "Will you marry me?"

She stuck out her ring finger for him to put the band on. "I guess I've lost my mind, too."

"Can you please just say it?"

She smiled. "Yes, I'll marry you, you crazy man."

He released a scream of approval as he lifted her up and spun her around. The gathering crowd cheered.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Today's song choice while writing - "True Companion" by Marc Cohn. Shivers. Thanks as always for the reviews - totally making me smile!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"I just had the most amazing dream."

Jenny and Gibbs were lying on their backs in bed, the alarm having woken them both up.

Still tired, Jethro groused, "Care to tell me about it?"

"I was having the most magical evening with the man I loved."

He smiled. "Really?"

"He took me out to dinner, danced with me in the middle of the street and then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him."

He turned on his side and looked at her. "What did you say?"

"I said, 'Of course I'll marry you, George Clooney.' "

Gibbs started tickling her until she couldn't take it anymore.

"That was not funny," he said.

She rolled onto her stomach, out of breath from the tickling. She rested her head in her hands, staring down at him. "Any regrets this morning?"

He looked at her, his tone suddenly serious. "Yeah, I've been meaning to talk with you about that."

Despite herself, she felt her heart begin to race. "Well?"

"I'm not a huge fan of figs."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I guess I deserved that."

Jethro turned Jenny on her side, dragging her to fit snugly against his body. "I know exactly what you deserve." He then leaned down to kiss her deeply.

He pulled away, smiling to see her eyes still closed.

She opened them, beaming. "So are we really engaged?"

He looked at her empty ring finger. "I don't know. You don't seem to be wearing your ring."

"Oh, you're right! Hold on." She turned back to her nightstand and retrieved the cigar band. "You want to put it on me again?" she asked, holding out her left hand. He carefully placed it back on and then kissed her hand.

"Now you have to marry me," he said.

She turned back over on her stomach, admiring the band on her finger. "I have to marry you or else they'll put you in an insane asylum. I mean, really Jethro. We'd been together six days. Who does that?"

"Six days? Please," he scoffed, caressing her face. "I've waited a decade for you."

She swallowed hard, overcome with such feelings of love - as a few stray tears fell. "I can't get over what a difference a week makes. I don't think I have the words to express what you've done… how happy… I just… When I think about what would have happened if you hadn't sat in that seat by accident, I just…"

Gibbs felt a bit helpless as tears started flowing down Jenny's face. "Hey, hey… you're supposed to be happy now. No crying."

She wiped her tears away before swatting him. "Shut up and make love to me."

"Won't you be late to work?" he asked as he started leaving soft kisses on her shoulder, making his way to her neck.

"Well then I guess you'd better make it quick," she managed, bringing his lips to hers, kissing him deeply.

"Yes, ma'am."

She didn't end up being too late after all. In the car, she looked over at him, not wanting to leave.

"Maybe tonight we can talk about setting a date," he offered, trying to give her something to look forward to. He wasn't prepared for her reaction.

"Oh," she hesitated. "That could be complicated."

"You did know that a wedding usually follows an engagement, right?" he asked.

"To be honest, I _hadn't_ thought that far ahead." She shrugged. "I still have the trial to get through. Maybe we can think about it after?"

He wasn't sure he was liking the sound of that. But he didn't want to start a fight before she had to spend the day at work, so he simply nodded.

"I love you, Jethro," she said as she leaned over to kiss him goodbye.

"Love you, too," he said.

Jenny hugged herself as she watched him drive off. She'd felt the tension but was grateful he didn't push it. She had so many emotions running through her. She took out her phone and called Mary, asking her to meet for lunch. She needed to talk.

They met at the usual place, across the street from the library.

"What's up, Catherine?"

Jenny bit her lower lip, unsure how the U.S. Marshal would react.

"Gibbs asked me to marry him last night." After a few moments, Jenny asked, "Are you all right, Mary? I've never seen you speechless before."

She raised her eyebrows. "Wow, you crazy kids don't waste any time." Mary noticed her friend's mood. "Are you happy about this?"

"I said yes, if that's what you're wondering. But obviously, because of my situation, it's complicated."

"Why? You're allowed to marry."

Jenny was a bit surprised by Mary's reaction. "I know I'm _allowed_, I'm just not certain how advised it is."

Mary tried to resist looking at Cat like she was nuts. "Do you love him?"

"You know I do."

"Didn't you ever think about marrying him?"

"Not really," she admitted. "He doesn't exactly have a great track record. And to be honest, over the years, I'd never allowed myself to even dream of such a moment since it didn't seem to be in the realm of possibility. I'm still in shock he asked."

Mary eyed her more carefully. "What are you scared of?"

Jenny gave the question the thought it deserved. She'd been having a hard time putting into words, even in her own thoughts, what exactly was nagging at her. "I think… I'm scared that I've agreed to share a future that I'm not sure I'll be alive for."

Mary closed her eyes and sighed. "Jesus, Cat."

"Saying 'yes' was actually unexpected and perhaps not the smartest move I've ever made, but I couldn't look in his eyes and say anything else."

"And you'd have kicked yourself. Why are you self-sabotaging?"

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" Jenny was genuinely curious.

"As someone who's been known to do it too, I recognize it."

Jenny considered her words. "Tell me something, Mary. Life after I testify… is there any chance I could exit the program… and live?"

"Oh hell, Cat. I'm not Las Vegas. I can't give you odds on that crap. I can tell you that your odds of staying alive are greatly improved if you stay with it. But in the end, it's your decision. I do highly recommend that you at least stay until the trial is over."

Jenny nodded, a bit deflated. "I know."

"Gibbs can't handle it, can he? Is that what this is really about?"

"It's complicated."

"Why doesn't that surprise me. You're a smart woman. Don't go stupid for a man, even that one."

Jenny smiled, knowingly. "Thanks."

"Not sure I did anything."

"You helped me put words to my fears. You helped."

"Go me!"

The two friends laughed. As they enjoyed their lunch, Gibbs was back at the house, stewing.

He had no idea why Jenny reacted the way she did about setting the date. His mind was going crazy with the possibilities, so he decided to go in the backyard and finish the project. It was pretty much done, so he simply continued to sand the already smooth wood, trying to clear his mind. It wasn't exactly working.

He replayed the previous evening over and over in his mind. Did he jump the gun? Was he pushing too hard, trying to make up for all the wrongs and mishaps of the last decade? Of course she was overwhelmed! _What an idiot I am_. Maybe she wasn't ready to get married after all. _She does love me, that I know for sure._ _But she does have a ton on her mind._ Gibbs tried to consider what would be the kindest thing he could do.

Maybe he should offer her a graceful way to back out of the engagement. Maybe _that _would fix things.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Today's song choices while writing - "Crying" by KD Lang and Roy Orbison and "Have a Little Faith in Me" by John Hyatt. Hope you guys don't mind my letting you know each day's song inspiration (and I'm open to suggestions). I think it sets the mood for reading should you be so inclined. But it might be just me who enjoys that, lol.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny had called earlier to say she was getting a ride home from one of her co-workers, so Gibbs cooked dinner and had it in the oven. When he heard a door slam, he quickly lit the two candles he had waiting, making sure to keep an eye on Mikey, who had a tendency to walk on the kitchen table.

He quickly looked out the window. Seeing Jenny coming up the walkway, he opened the door for her. She saw the mood lighting and wondered what was going on exactly. He sensed her hesitation.

"Just a quiet, no pressure evening here," he said, kissing her on the cheek as she entered. He closed the door behind her.

She smiled at him. "A woman could get used to being spoiled like this." She tossed her purse on the end table near the couch, before turning back and kissing him properly. She felt that something was a little off. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, unconvincingly. "We can talk after dinner."

Jenny felt her stomach muscles tighten. "I don't think I'll be able to eat until we talk."

He hated that he put that look in her eyes. He nodded and accepted her hand, as they walked to the couch and sat down.

"What's going on?" Jenny asked, concerned.

This wasn't about making Jenny feel badly about earlier. She had a right to feel what she was feeling. She had it coming at her from all sides and the last thing he wanted to do was add to it, so he put the onus on himself.

"I got to thinking about things today."

"What things?" A lump was building in her throat, her nervousness increasing.

"Us. The engagement."

Her heart practically stopped. She tried to keep her face unreadable, the mere shock of it all helping her out in that endeavor.

Gibbs tried to read her face but he wasn't able. He stopped trying and instead looked down. "Maybe I did rush things a bit. You have a lot on your mind and it wasn't fair of me to throw another thing at you."

He looked up expecting to see relief in her eyes and instead saw that tears were streaming down her face. "Jenny," he said, suddenly stricken.

Embarrassed, she quickly wiped her tears away and stood up, walking towards the kitchen, her back remaining to him. "It's okay. You gave it thought and don't want to marry me anymore. Who could blame you, my life is a freaking mess."

He was suddenly horrified with how she was taking it. He ran over to her. "Wait a second. After this morning, I thought you didn't want to marry me - I was just trying to give you an out."

Her heart was beating at a rapid fire rate. "So you _do_ still want to marry me?" she asked almost in a whisper.

He looked at her, incredulous. "Of course I do." He started trying to kiss her tears away, threading his fingers in her hair. She moved her hands from his chest to around his neck. Their mutual hunger took over, their lips finding each other, his hands making their way down her body, pulling her as close as humanly possible. He started to move his lips down her neck, which she gladly leaned back to expose to his fevered kisses. She found her hands wrapped around his belt buckle, doing her best to loosen it when suddenly the oven alarm went off.

"Damn," managed Gibbs, still panting. "I'll turn it off. Dinner can wait."

Though Jenny was out of breath as well, she held him close, the alarm still ringing. "I don't want your effort to go to waste. I promise you we can come back to this later."

He rolled his eyes. "Food is overrated. I don't really _need_ food. You, I _need_." He tried unbuttoning her blouse but she swatted his hands away and walked over to the oven, turning off the alarm before she grabbed some oven mitts.

She opened the bottom oven and leaned over to take a look inside at the food. He walked up behind her, pulling her closely against him. "Are you sure?"

She looked back over her shoulder at him. "While I can tell, thank you very much, what you want to do, yes, I'm sure."

He sighed heavily. "No good deed goes unpunished. See if I ever make dinner again."

"I really hope you do because this looks fantastic." She plated their meals for them and brought them over to the table, where he was sitting. She put them both on his side, and then she sat straddling Gibbs, facing his direction.

"You really think this is going to work?"

She smiled seductively. "Just you wait." She reached for one of the plates and a fork and stuck it between them. She put a bit of food on her fork and held it out for him. He eyed her suspiciously. "What? You're the one who cooked it so if something's wrong with it, you have only yourself to blame."

"Smart ass."

She smiled. "Get your mind off my ass and eat some food."

He took a bite before saying, "Kind of hard to get my mind off your ass when it's in my hands right now."

She considered his words for a moment. "OK, you make a good point. You may keep your mind on it then, but you have to also eat. My turn now though."

She put some food on her fork and then slowly, seductively, ate it, licking her lips.

"OK, now you're just trying to drive me crazy."

"Perhaps," she smiled mischievously.

He grabbed the fork and plate from her and set it back on the table. Before she had a chance to protest, he placed his hands just below her butt, so he could support her thighs, and stood up.

She released a little squeal before wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist to help her hold on as he carried her off.

About an hour later, they wandered back to the kitchen. Jenny was wearing just his button-down shirt from earlier, with a couple strategic buttons buttoned, while he was only wearing his boxers.

"Uh oh," Gibbs said. "I guess we'll have to order in."

Jenny simply shook her head. "Sure looks that way," she sighed. "Mikeeeeeeey!"


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Today's song choices while writing - "Hooked on the Memory of You" by Neil Diamond and Kim Carnes and "To Sir With Love" by 10,000 Maniacs (Natalie Mechant). Perhaps not great song choices in retrospect since this chapter has been a bear. Finally had to go back to Adele's "Someone like you" in order to finish it. Promise better stuff coming.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was Saturday morning. Jenny didn't want to wake up, but the smell of coffee was reaching out to her. She slowly opened her eyes to gaze at the man she loved - but when she looked next to her, Mikey was the one staring back. She gave him some love.

"Hey big guy, any idea where the other man of the house went?"

Mikey was being suspiciously quiet on the subject, so she gave him a few more scratches under his chin before getting up. She grabbed her robe and followed the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen.

"Jethro?"

Still no sign of him. Then she noticed the door to the backyard was open, with just the screen closed. _Am I finally allowed in the backyard again?_

Jenny poured herself a cup of coffee before she headed outside. What she found made her eyes light up.

She saw Gibbs, with a cup of coffee, relaxing in the loveseat swing he had built for her on the deck. There was a big giant bow on the awning and dangling from it was a card.

"Jethro, you built this in one week? It's amazing," she marveled, as she walked around it, inspecting his handiwork. "Have you ever finished anything so fast?" she teased.

"Cute. Open your card."

"I absolutely love it, by the way - and you," she said, giving him a quick kiss - still admiring the craftsmanship. "And I love that it has an awning. Considering the sun we get here, it will come in handy. I even love these cushions." She sank into the seat next to him, turning her attention to the card, handing him her coffee to hold.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, kissing her head as she curled up into his side. He put his arm around her, enjoying the feel of her silk robe under his hand.

Jenny opened the envelope. "Happy Anniversary?"

"We've lasted a whole week," he teased.

She smiled ear-to-ear. "You are full of surprises, Leroy Jethro Gibbs." She opened up the card to find he'd handwritten a message to her. "I will never take any week we're together for granted. You really have become my everything. Love, J."

She reached for his lips, infusing her kiss with all the gratitude and love she was feeling. "You're my everything, too, you know."

"Yep," he smirked. He handed her back her coffee as a comfortable silence enveloped them. They enjoyed the peace and quiet of the early morning, the gentle swaying back and forth, their coffee and each other.

But he had to know.

"So what was yesterday morning in the car about? I know it was _something_."

He immediately felt her tense up. He ran his fingers through her hair, kissing the top of her head. She pulled away a tiny bit so she could look at him.

"You sure you really want to know?" She didn't want to upset him with her fears.

"I know that a lot of scary things happen in here," he said, kissing the top of her head again, "but I love the whole package."

She took a deep breath. "Setting a date suddenly made it very real. And all I could think about was that it might be unfair to promise to share my life with you when I don't know how long I'm going to _have _a life."

He sat silently for a few moments, gathering his thoughts, resisting the urge to head-slap her. "No one does, Jen," he whispered. "Shannon thought we'd have a lifetime together. Would I trade a second of it because of how soon it ended?"

He knew she knew his response, so he simply let the question hang out there unanswered.

"The two of us have overcome so much to get here. I have to believe it's because we're supposed to be together," he said as he held her close.

She nodded. "I believe that too."

"You know I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe. Which reminds me of something else we should probably discuss."

"What?"

"I want to know who back home is read in to your situation? Fornell? Ducky? Leon?"

She sighed. "I wish I knew. I can't imagine Fornell is because this is way above his pay grade. I told you that I know the heads of CIA and FBI know, along with the lawyers working the case."

"Who else?"

"Was Ducky the one who supposedly did my autopsy?" she asked. 

"As far as I know. I went down, saw the body bag and couldn't open it. I left after that."

Jenny shuddered, considering what that must have been like for Jethro. She instinctively reached up to caress his face. He leaned into her hand, kissing is softly.

"Well, that would be a question for Ducky himself, then," she offered. "And I have no idea about Leon."

"I take it Mike knows, since you gave him the letter."

"Actually, I gave him the letter before the shootout. After, to be honest, is a bit of a blur for me. I have no idea the time line of anything after the shooting."

"I still can't believe you risked the Kort operation to go after Svetlana's people. Or that they let you," he said, almost scolding.

"It's not like they knew. Protecting you was more important to me."

He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her.

"Yeah, they weren't too happy with me," she managed a tiny laugh.

"Anyone else that you know who might know?"

Jenny looked at him and had a feeling she knew what he was thinking. "You want to read in the team, don't you?"


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: I know I should want to be a day ahead, but since I hated the last chapter so much, I didn't want to end the day on that. HOPEFULLY another one will still go up tomorrow but I'm not swearing to it. Thanks for the reviews - good or bad, keep 'em coming. They help to motivate and keep me on schedule.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny had a feeling she knew what Gibbs was thinking. "You want to read in the team, don't you?"

Gibbs ran his hand over his face and sighed. "What are your thoughts on it?"

"I have two. One, I probably wouldn't have to wait for Kort to kill me - Mary would. Along with the entire U.S. Marshal service, FBI, CIA, etc."

Gibbs grimaced, knowing she was right about that.

"The other being that I know how good they all are at what they do. And I know I'd be lucky to have their help. But Jethro, widening the circle scares the hell out of me."

He held her close. "I know. Me too."

Jenny saw the worry etched on his face. She had a feeling it mirrored her own. "I suppose we have time yet to think about this."

"What if you were still Director, and this was brought to you about someone else? What would your instincts be telling you to do?"

"I could ask you the same thing. What's your gut telling you?"

Gibbs sighed. "You know my answer."

"You always trust your team."

Gibbs nodded. "But I've never had to with something so precious to me." He kissed the top of her head. "You didn't answer."

"And I'm betting you know _my _answer."

He looked at her. "You would trust the team to get the job done too. In this case though, you fear putting their lives at risk - because of _you_."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Jethro, if anything happened to you or them because of me, I'd never get over it," she said quietly, deeply affected by even the thought of such a thing happening. "Listen, I'm going to grab a shower. I'll be back down in a little bit. Thanks again. I love it."

Jenny grabbed his empty mug and took it inside with her before Gibbs could even protest. He was a little disappointed he hadn't been invited to join her, but he had a feeling their conversation had hit a very sensitive nerve. It was probably best to give Jenny her space to deal with it. But he did get an idea.

He went inside and waited until he heard the water running. He then found Jenny's cell phone and dialed Mary.

"The world had better be on fire to justify calling me this early on a Saturday."

Gibbs looked at his watch and frowned. "It's not _that_ early anymore, Mary."

"Who is this?"

"Gibbs."

Mary rolled her eyes. "You? You I can yell at."

"You could, but don't."

"What do you want?" she growled.

"I need to get a package. Can I have it sent to you, and can you keep it between us?"

"Is it something that's allowed to be mailed across state lines?"

Gibbs looked at the phone, incredulous. "Yes. What do you think it is? A machine gun?"

"Wouldn't put it past you. Speaking of which, we need to talk. What day is this thing arriving?"

"I don't know yet."

"Regardless, I want you in my office Tuesday."

Gibbs was definitely not looking forward to it. "Fine. I need your address for mailing."

"Oh right."

She gave him the address and then promptly hung up on him.

Gibbs then picked up the landline and dialed the operator. "Washington, D.C.," he said when prompted. Then he added, "Hanson's Jewelers."

Gibbs spoke with Richard, an old contact of his. He was able to help Gibbs figure out the perfect ring and agreed to FedEx it to Mary as soon as it was ready, mailing the bill to Gibbs' house. He knew the NCIS special agent was good for it.

Pleased with the progress he'd made on that errand, Gibbs decided to go for broke. There was another project he needed to get underway.

He picked up the landline again and dialed a number.

"McGee."

"Trace this number, and I will kill you."

"I know, I know, Boss. We got the message to leave you alone."

Gibbs smiled, happy that Ziva did such a good job enforcing his threat. "I need your help with a project. This is what I need you to do and it has to be done before I fly back next Sunday."

Gibbs relayed what he needed from Tim and then quickly hung up, knowing his order/request would be carried out. Pleased to have two big projects off his plate, he ran upstairs to check on Jenny. The shower had stopped, so he knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"George Clooney," he said, looking at her like she was crazy. "Who'd you think was at the door?"

"George Clooney," she teased, smiling.

He was grateful that she seemed to be in a better mood. He leaned against the bathroom wall and watched as she toweled off.

"So did you need anything or did you just feel like staring?"

"I'm fine with just staring. I could do this all day."

"Well then you'd miss what I have planned for us."

"Oh?"

She smiled. "There's a place nearby to ride horses. How's that work for you, cowboy?"

"Oh I'm ready to be taken for a ride," he said, swooping her up in his arms.

Jenny burst out laughing. "Jethro!"


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Today's song choice is a little bit different…certainly not something that screams Jibbs but perhaps for them here in this universe. "Crazy" by Seal, "We're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy" or so go the lyrics.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Seriously, this is what you want to do with our Sunday?"

Jenny was mildly insulted that Jethro had dragged her to the gym to spar. He was wearing jeans and a simple black T-shirt while she was in a pair of black yoga pants and a deep pink tank top, with her hair up in a ponytail.

He nodded. "I need to know you've still got game."

"Oh, I've got game. You're about to see just how much game I've got."

"Yeah, great. You've got the trash talk down. Now back it up with some action. Let's warm up first."

He held up his hands for her to punch. She looked at him and rolled her eyes before quickly swinging her leg around and taking out his legs, dropping him. "I'm warm, thanks."

When she turned her back on him, he scooted across the mat, grabbing both her legs and letting her fall behind him as he continued to hold on and stand up. "Yeah, really?"

She grabbed hold of his belt loops, kicking her feet over and then quickly hit him in the back, pushing him down on the ground.

"What the hell kind of fighting is this?" he asked, confused.

"I don't know, but it's pretty ugly," she laughed.

"Could you please take this more seriously?"

She joined him on the floor. "Do I have to? I'm fine. I have a workout routine."

"What is it?"

"Sometimes kickboxing, sometimes Boot Camp, weight lifting, jogging on occasion, things like that. You know, you could have asked me before dragging me here so I could kick your ass."

Gibbs shot her a glare. "You did not kick my ass. You confused me to death, maybe."

Jenny laughed. "You're not the only one who doesn't like to play by the rules."

"Yes, but you're supposed to play by _my_ rules."

"You wanted me to pull a knife on you?"

He fell back on the mat, exasperated.

Jenny looked at her watch. "OK, are we done now?"

"Nope. We have another stop to make."

Jenny sighed, figuring she'd like the next stop about as much as she enjoyed this one. Once in the car, Gibbs headed away from the population center. He turned down a dirt road that seemed more like the road to nowhere than anything else. Eventually he pulled over.

"Do you know what we're doing?" he asked.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Going with the theme of the day so far, I'm guessing I'm about to be shooting my gun."

"That's right."

Jenny was about to argue but realized the futility of it and simply got out of the car. She watched as he went to the trunk and pulled out two different boxes of ammo, a few sheets of paper - the probable targets - and some duct tape.

"Is this the last stop on Jethro's Agility Test Train or is the next stop going to involve knife throwing?"

She saw his deflated expression.

"Damn, I knew I forgot something."

She simply shook her head and grabbed a few of the items from him, following him to wherever it was they were going. He set up the targets against some boulders, duct taping them in place. He then walked her a decent distance and handed her back her Glock.

"Have you messed with it? Do I need to clean it first?" she asked.

"Up to you, but no, I haven't 'messed' with it."

"Good," she said before quickly taking aim and firing off several rounds.

"Where's your Beretta?"

She opened up her purse and showed it off to him. He looked at her seriously, indicating she should fire that one too. She went to the second target and did just that.

When she was done, he went up behind her, wanting to show her a different stance.

"OK, that's enough, Jethro. My stance is perfectly fine. If you're looking for a way to put your hands on me, then you should just take me home. Now."

He looked at her, teasing… "Ooooh, feisty. Should we go take a look at how well you did?"

"I'll go get them," she said, clearly annoyed. She was halfway there before she yelled back, without turning around, "Stop looking at my ass."

He smirked.

When she got back, she held them up to him. "Happy now?"

He inspected them thoroughly, taking extra time just to watch her irritation level increase.

"They're perfect; what the hell are you hoping to find wrong? You really think I can't take care of myself?"

"I know you can."

Jenny was becoming infuriated. "Then what was all this about today?"

He approached her carefully, wrapping his arms around her. "How did you feel when you dropped me on the mat earlier?"

She wasn't sure where he was going with this, so she tentatively put her hands on his chest as he held her close. "I felt good."

"Confident?"

She nodded.

"And how about when you nailed the target just now? How'd you feel?"

"In control, confident."

His lips began to curl into a smile. "And that felt damn good, didn't it?"

She smiled. "Yes, it did."

"Do you have any idea how incredibly sexy you are when you're feeling confident and sure of yourself?"

Jenny slowly moved her hands from his chest to around his neck. "So you did all this just to give me back my confidence?"

He looked lovingly into her eyes. "If you saw yourself the way I see you, there'd be no living with you."

She laughed, blushing a bit. "Well, we can't have _that_, because I like having you living with me. A lot."

He noticed her mood darken. "What's wrong?"

"You leave a week from today."

His heart sank at the thought. He held her close against his chest. "Let's not think about that. Let's do all we can to enjoy what we have right now, right here."

She knew he was right. She looked around at their surroundings. "Did you happen to pack a blanket?" He nodded. She whispered seductively in his ear, "Then what do you say about getting that blanket so you can start enjoying me right here, right now?"


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Some fluff was requested and since soon enough some things will be kicking into high gear, I figured it might be a good idea - so enjoy. "True Companion" by Marc Cohn made a repeat appearance. If you've never heard this song, no matter what your tastes, I highly recommend going to YouTube and listening to it. It truly is perfect for them.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Later that evening, after dinner had been eaten and dishes were cleaned, Jenny announced she was going to run a bath upstairs. She put in a few drops of Lavender essential oil along with a little bubble bath, lit some candles and put in a CD, playing it low. She was determined that tonight she would do the spoiling.

Even though it wouldn't need to stay on long, she changed into one of her favorites pieces of lingerie, a red baby doll number that fell just past her backside, along with a matching G-string. It made her feel sexy and she knew he'd like that. She then found a pair of red heels and sauntered down the stairs to retrieve one very special agent.

Gibbs was in the kitchen, drying some dishes when he caught sight of her coming down the stairs. He quickly set down what he was drying.

"I take it this time I'm allowed to stare, right?" he asked, doing just that.

"Actually, it's mandatory," she purred, as she reached for his hand to lead him up the stairs.

"Not so fast," he insisted. "I'm enjoying the view too much to rush this."

She smiled to herself, pleased with the results thus far.

He was confused when she led him past the bed, towards the bathroom. She leaned over to turn the water off, pleased with the level it was at.

"Um, what's going on?"

"We're going to take a bath together, and I'm going to spoil you."

"I like that last part but you know I'm more of a shower guy."

"Trust me, this one you'll enjoy. At the very least, we'll both be naked. How bad could it be?"

She made an excellent point. He immediately threw off his T-shirt. She then stopped him from continuing, instead taking over herself. She ran her hands up and down his bare chest.

"You know I love it when you put your hands all over me," he said, relaxing into her touch.

She slowly undid his belt, discarding it before concentrating on his jeans, kissing his chest as she made progress. She quickly felt the steaming hot water and realized she could delay a bit longer. She planted more kisses along his neck, holding him close.

"You sure you want to take a bath? Having my way with you seems like a much better plan," he said.

She realized she'd better tone down the teasing if she had any hope of getting him in the bathtub. "Not yet. Just give in and let _me _take care of _you_."

It finally dawned on him the point of this particular activity, so he stopped trying to switch things to the bedroom and let her take control. She got him out of his boxers and stepped back to take him in. She ran her eyes over every inch of him. Sometimes it still overwhelmed her that he was really there and not just in her dreams.

He saw the way she was looking at him, appreciating him and it made him feel incredibly desired. He was so grateful to see the love in her eyes.

"Am I allowed to help you get naked?" he asked, praying she'd let him.

When she nodded, he stepped forward, removing the tiny straps from her shoulder, slowing kissing various body parts that were revealed as he lowered it.

His gentle touch and kisses were warming her insides, driving her near the edge. She considered letting him take her right there but she regained control and decided to stick to her original plan. Of course, when he removed her G-string, she almost lost the battle. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice since he was busy trying to remove her heels.

Jethro stood back up, reaching for her hands along the way. She moved towards him, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

When he nodded, she got into the tub first and motioned for him to sit in front of her. She wrapped her long legs around him, her arms around his chest. He leaned his head back against her shoulder, giving Jenny access to his neck where she left a few feathery kisses.

She then removed her arms to begin massaging his shoulders, beginning with simply touching them, rubbing her hands along them before increasing the pressure.

His moans pleased her, letting her know she was hitting the right spots. She took her pointer fingers and ran them along his neck towards his head, back and forth.

"Oh Jen, this feels incredible."

"Good. That's the idea," she said, kissing him. "You've done so much for me this week, I wanted to do something for you."

"Do you think you haven't?" he asked, curious.

"I can't help but worry that I could be more trouble than I'm worth."

He leaned back against her and sighed. "Haven't we been through this?"

She wrapped her arms around his chest, kissing his neck. She then whispered in his ear, "I know. I can't help it. It's one thing when you're here with me, when it's just us. But next week, you'll be back in the real world, where there are millions of women who would love to be with you and who you won't have to have your world turned upside-down to be with."

He ran his hands along her legs, trying to comfort her. She wrapped them tighter around him.

"There's something in the equation that you aren't taking into consideration."

She ran her fingers nails through his hair, smoothing it, soothing his head. "And what would that be?"

"None of those other women are you."

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his. "God, I love you."


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Wow, over 220 reviews! You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the encouragement. OK, with this chapter, PLEASE bear with me. I realize the timeline doesn't fit because this takes place a year after JD, but just allow me one fudging so I can have the piece of technology I have in this chapter. I know it wasn't invented yet - just forget that bit of reality please. ;)

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny returned home from work looking very proud of herself. Gibbs wasn't sure if he should be happy - or scared. He noticed she had an extra bag she was carrying.

"I have a gift for you, a project that you have one week to become familiar with and master before you head back to D.C.," she said, bringing the bag to the couch. She raised an eyebrow and patted the seat next to her.

"Chinese food is on the way, just so you know," he said, sitting down.

"Good because I'm hungry. OK, here's your gift. Open it."

Gibbs was happy to see her so excited. He couldn't imagine what it was. He still couldn't imagine what it was, even after opening it.

"Huh?"

She shook her head. "You truly are technically hopeless. This is an iPad. McGee doesn't have one yet?"

Gibbs looked at her like she was crazy. "Do you think I'd care?"

She shook her head. "Yep, hopeless." She took it back from him and began showing him some things. "I've already set something up for you."

"Wait. You expect me to use this… this thing? Why?"

She became very serious suddenly, looking deeply into his eyes. "Because this _thing_ is how we're going to be able to communicate while you're in D.C."

He realized quickly this was no joke. "Is it like a Walkie Talkie thing?" he asked, turning it over. "I don't see a microphone."

Jenny sighed, realizing a week might not be long enough. She grabbed it back from him. "Watch. See this little icon? It's called Safari, which means it's a simple web browser."

She saw his utter confusion.

"Right. Keep it simple. OK, you tap this picture here. I already have it set up for you so when you do that, it opens up to something called Facebook. Still with me?"

He rolled his eyes. He'd heard about this Facebook thing, though he had to admit it seemed pretty stupid.

"Listen, one of the great things about Facebook is that you can control who sees your information. Only people you 'friend' get to see it. I have created email and Facebook accounts with fake names for us both and only friended each other. So we can send messages, pictures, things like that through Facebook."

"Pictures?" he asked, a smirk crossing his face.

"Jethro, there is still a chance the account can be found, so there will be no pictures that can identify me."

"We could take some from the neck down."

"If I promise to think about that, will you concentrate?" He nodded eagerly. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Back to the lesson. And stay focused." She saw his eyes drift off. "Stop thinking about the non-existent pictures."

He frowned. "Is this as complicated as it sounds?"

"I _really _hope not. The good thing about it is, it's portable. It has its own built-in network so you don't have to log on through the one at work. Now, granted someone like McGee could hack into what we're doing here and discover it quickly, I'm sure, but my hope is that if you don't know to look for it, you won't find it. Try to not let people know you even have it."

Gibbs looked at her, trying to understand. "So why are we doing this rather than my emailing your fake email from my work account?"

"Because you share that network with all of NCIS."

Gibbs thought about that. "And that's bad, right?"

"It's bad when I don't know who we can trust. It's just an extra layer of precaution that I'd like us to take."

Gibbs was trying to understand it. "This still seems weird. Why the face thingie instead of just email?"

Jenny thought about that one for a minute. "I guess what I like about Facebook is that if we do need or want to exchange pictures, it will all stay on the server. You won't have to download them in order to see them. So if someone does get your iPad and tries to search it for things, they won't find it. They'd have to know your email account and your password to get into your Facebook account."

"So this is instead of phone calls? We'll be sending messages to each other? You know I can't type all that well." He turned the iPad around, inspecting it. "Where _is_ the keyboard on this thing anyway?"

Jenny rubbed the bridge of her nose, like she was getting a headache, which she quite possibly was. "Jethro, please work with me here. You have the week to practice. Please say you'll try."

"If anyone catches me with this thing, they'll know something's up."

The doorbell rang. Jenny got up to answer it but turned back to Gibbs first. "Then don't get caught." She paid the delivery man and brought the food over to the coffee table before she went to grab some plates from the kitchen.

"We can talk on the phone as long as it isn't long enough to run a trace, can't we?" Gibbs asked. "If I can't hear your voice…"

She put the plates down and sat on his lap, cupping his face in her hands. "I know. I feel the same way," she said, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "But there isn't a lot that can be said in that short amount of time. We're going to have to work at us. Long distance relationships can be hard in the best of circumstances, with the sanest of people. Which obviously isn't what we've got."

Gibbs tried not to laugh at Jenny as he wrapped his arms around her. "If you think this contraption will make things easier, then I promise to try."

"Thank you," she said, relaxing her head against his shoulder, grateful to have his arms around her. "Do you know what you'll be doing when you go back?"

"What do you mean by doing?"

She took a deep breath, a bit nervous to pursue this line of questioning. She lifted her head a bit, so she could read his reaction. "Are you going back to prepare for a life with me here, or are you going back with the intention of trying to bring me back there?"

He swallowed hard. "Which answer do you want to hear?"

She sighed. "Your answer just came through loud and clear." She got off his lap and sat next to him as she began to divvy up the food on their plates.

"Are you mad at me?"

She sighed, putting the food down and dropped her head into her hands. He put his hand on her back and she snapped - she grabbed a pillow and threw it at the wall. "Damn it! I hate this."

She saw Jethro looking at her with a pained expression as she paced back and forth. "This trip isn't going to be a quick one, is it?" she asked, biting her lower lip, trying to keep herself from crying yet again.

He felt completely helpless. "I honestly don't know. I do know I want to get back to you as quickly as possible."

She couldn't look at him. She stared at the ceiling, shaking her head before turning and heading out the back door, slamming it shut.

Gibbs wasn't sure if he should follow or give her time to herself. _No, she doesn't need time to herself right now; she'll have plenty of it soon enough_.

He headed for the door. Once outside, he found her on the swing, tucked into a ball, crying. Seeing her that way, so distraught, broke his heart. He sat down next to Jenny, not sure if she'd let him touch her.

It wasn't very long before Jenny leaned into his side, so he placed his arm around her and held her as she cried.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Thanks for your feedback - it really, really helps! Today's song: "Here you come Again," by Dolly Parton. "All you gotta do is smile that smile and there go all my defenses."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Mary had told Gibbs to come on Tuesday, without specifying a time, so he arrived around 11am. When Mary saw him, he swore he saw her smirk. He took a deep breath and headed towards her.

"Thanks for coming, Gibbs."

"Didn't seem like I had much of a choice."

Mary grabbed something out of her desk and tossed it to him. "Nice rock."

He looked at her, shocked. "You opened it?"

Mary looked at him. "Well, it was addressed to me."

Gibbs tried to keep his anger in check. "No, it was addressed _to me_ - and only 'in care of' you. You shouldn't go around opening other people's packages."

She shrugged, making a face at him. "Whatever. Have a seat."

He fell into the chair across from her, exasperated.

"I'm worried."

He looked at the U.S. Marshal, concerned. "Why? Are you hearing things?"

"Yes, actually. Your _fiancée_ asked me what I thought her chances would be if she got out of the program after she testified. I'm guessing that's your doing."

He simply glared at her. Mary glared right back.

Gibbs shook his head. "So what did you say to her?"

"I told her she shouldn't act stupid for any man, even you."

"Nice," he said, obviously irritated.

Mary came around and leaned against her desk, looking right at Gibbs. "I want to congratulate you. You've succeeded in undoing a year's worth of progress I made with her in… let me see…" She leaned across her desk to look at a calendar. "Wow, in about six days. That must be a record or something."

"You really think you made progress with her? That she was embracing 'the program' - is that what you thought?"

"She had come to a certain peace about it, yes."

He stood up fast, causing his chair to fly back. "Lady, you're kidding yourself! Have you watched her? Have you really listened to her? That job she has is slowly killing her. She desperately misses her support system, her friends, her job - everything she derived her sense of self-worth from."

Mary stood up fully, facing Gibbs head-on. "We're doing what we know works to save her life! Don't you get that?"

Gibbs eyes were pained, as he looked at Mary, trying to will her to understand. "You saved her from instant death only to stick her in a box, allowing her to die a slow one. Some people can survive living in a box. She's not one of them."

"Are you sure you don't mean you, Gibbs? Aren't you the one who can't accept this life?"

He fell back in his chair, frustrated. He lowered his head into his hands, scrubbing them across his face when he was able to look back up at her. "This isn't about me, Mary," he sighed. "Tell me, do all of the people in WITSEC behave like she did when they enter the program? The same kind of breakdown as she seemed to have?

Mary leaned back against her desk again. "Everyone has their own issues."

"But were hers normal or much worse?"

Mary sighed. "Her process to adjustment was tougher, no doubt."

Gibbs leaned forward. "I'm telling you, this has nothing to do with me. I'm here. It doesn't solve anything. I still see her struggle. I watch the strongest woman I've ever known doubt herself. I watch her try to do her job, when she doesn't know I'm looking at her, and I _see _her… I see the cracks and the strain. At what point is it worth it?"

"I don't want to make you feel bad, Gibbs, but she _was_ getting better. Her life might not have been - to use her own description - vivid colors, but she was living. She had a small group of people she could now count on. She had a job that might not be perfect but was giving her a sense of purpose, of community. She had the hint of maybe starting over again with a great guy."

Gibbs tried not to show how much her words were hurting him.

"And then you came along and now she's willing to risk her life because she doesn't think you can handle the program. I know you love her. But how can you do this to her?"

"She said that?" Gibbs felt horrible. Was he seeing only what he wanted to see? Was he being selfish?

"Tell me something. If it came down to it and you had to make a choice - her and the program or being without her and keeping your life - what would you choose?"

Without even thinking, he answered. "Her."

"Well, guess what? It's come down to it."

Mary saw the defeated look on Gibbs' face.

He simply nodded at her and then stood up. He held the jewelry box out. "Thanks for this."

"She'll love it."

He nodded again before walking out the door. Once he was out of sight, Marshall knocked on Mary's door.

"Who was that?"

Mary sighed. "The guy who may save Catherine… or destroy her. And he hasn't decided which."

On the way home, Gibbs stopped off to pick up just the right piece of wood. He had a lot of thinking to do. He did his best thinking when he was working with wood. And this wasn't just any piece of wood. This was the only gift he'd ever get to give their baby.

He brought the wood out back and sat in their swing. He studied it, trying to formulate a plan for it. But he was distracted. He had to seriously consider Mary's words. He knew seeing Jenny again had saved _his_ life. Of that, he was certain. But was he wrong? Had Jenny come to terms with the program? Had he pushed her into considering letting him and the team handle things?

He hated that Mary was making him wonder if Jenny would have been better off not running into him. Could she have fallen for Ryan? Could she have been happy without him?

Gibbs put the wood down and went back in the house. He went upstairs to their bedroom and sat on the bed, where he took out the jewelry box from his pocket and opened it. He stared at it for a few minutes, then slowly closed it and placed it in the back of his nightstand drawer.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: I realize I often mention how I write the chapter the night before or that day, but I don't want you all to think that I don't know the long-term of this story or have a plan because I totally do. It's just the day to day of getting there that is open. And for those worrying about a happy ending - I don't know if this will make you happy or bum you out, but this story is sooooo far from ending. It could go a year or more. So I wouldn't think of this in those terms quite yet. ;)

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny arrived home from work that night to an empty house. She looked through her mail, tossing it on the coffee table, along with her purse.

"Jethro?"

Strange. He didn't say he was going anywhere. She decided to check out back. Sure enough, she found him on the swing, carving a piece of wood.

"Hey stranger," she said playfully, sitting down beside him. He barely looked up, managing only a hint of a smile. Jenny's good mood quickly darkened. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Just working, thinking," he managed.

Jenny didn't want to push but she could tell something was troubling him. "Dare I ask how things went with Mary?" She noticed the slightest falter in his rhythm - and she noted his trying to recover quickly.

"The usual fun and good times. She's a laugh riot," he said with clear annoyance in his voice.

"Yeah, Mary's a barrel of fun. That's how everyone describes her," she said, rolling her eyes. Obviously he was not going to share more. She decided she might have better luck grilling Mary.

"I'm going inside to change. I'll be back in a bit." She waited a second for him to stop and kiss her but he didn't. He was obviously sulking, and she had no idea why. But she was going to find out.

Jenny went inside and quickly headed up the stairs. She changed into a pair of yoga pants and a tank top before reaching for her cell phone. She found Mary's number and dialed.

After a few rings, Mary answered. "What's up?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. What happened at your meeting with Gibbs?" Jenny did her best to straddle between inquisitive yet firm. She wanted someone to tell her what was going on.

"Didn't you ask him?"

"He's not exactly being chatty, Mary. Something's obviously upset him. I was hoping you could give me some answers."

"I don't know what you want from me, Catherine. We had a very frank discussion. I may have shared a few truths he wasn't exactly wanting to face."

Jenny closed her eyes and looked pained. "What truths?"

"He's a big boy. He should be able to hear that his indecision and desire to have it all is a serious risk to your life."

Jenny furrowed her brow. "He has heard that. From me in fact. What else?"

Mary was fidgeting. She had a feeling she knew what it was but she wasn't in the mood to piss off Catherine. Then again, she also didn't want to make things worse for her. "I said that you were adjusting to the program, moving on with your life just fine until he messed everything up."

_Shit. _Jenny was incredulous. She started pacing around the room as she talked. "What the hell made you say _that_?"

Mary didn't hold back. "Because it's _true_. He was trying to say that I wasn't _really _listening to you, that he could see that this life is slowly killing you and it pissed me off."

Jenny slumped to the floor, at the foot of their bed. She took a deep breath before finding the courage to admit the truth. "I'm sorry, Mary. But he's right."

The two sat there on the phone for several minutes, saying nothing to each other. Finally Mary managed, "Please tell me you'll at least stay with the program until the trial is over?"

"Of course I will. Thanks." Jenny hung up the phone and sighed. _Now what?_ It was a good bet that this was what was bothering him but she didn't know for sure. She was suddenly very tired. If talking to Mary made _her_ feel like this, she could only imagine how Jethro felt. She headed downstairs, grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed outside.

Gibbs was in the same place, doing the same thing. She sat down next to him and offered him the beer. He nodded, taking a sip before setting it down by his feet. Jenny was content to wait it out, just enjoying sitting outside with Jethro, watching him work.

She turned her attention to his hands, their strength as they worked the wood into what he wanted. His muscles were pronounced as he carved, his T-shirt fitting him just right. She appreciated the opportunity to be able to simply look at him. She could watch him all day and feel it was a day well spent.

Then it dawned on her exactly what he was making and her breath caught in her throat. The love he was pouring into it, the gentle touch he used. It made her love him even more, something she didn't even think was possible.

Maybe that was what had him in this mood. Everyone handles grief differently. The group had certainly taught her that. Maybe the grief was making him push her away because he had to deal with it himself. She decided she would let him handle it however he needed to, but she would stick close, in case he wanted her with him.

He stopped working and reached down for his beer, taking another sip before setting it down again. He then looked over at Jenny. She was watching him, her eyes soft with love. He leaned back into the seat, against the pillows, and put his arm around her. She quickly grabbed his chin to face her, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"Welcome home, Jenny," she said softly, smiling.

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "Welcome home, Jenny. How was your day, dear?"

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" she teased. "I think the question is more, how was _your_ day?"

He showed her the progress he made on the plaque. "Is there anything you wanted to make sure was on here?"

She looked in his beautiful blue eyes, grateful he was talking with her. She snuggled in close to him, leaning her head on his shoulder as she held the wood in her hand. "What were you thinking of putting on it?"

He ran his hand through his hair, obviously frustrated. "I've been trying to figure something out all day. Keeping it simple but yet…"

"Meaningful?"

He nodded. "I know what I see for its shape and maybe some ideas for the edges. But the words…"

She smoothed out his hair, running her nails through it, gently caressing his face. She was overwhelmed with emotion, but managed to say, "How about… 'You were loved.' "

Gibbs locked eyes with Jenny and nodded. "Perfect."

They sat together on the swing, with his arm around her and Jenny's head against his shoulder. Both were thinking about the baby they lost, the little life who could have bonded them together and changed their lives.

There was a lot they need to talk about but for now, in this moment, they were content to just hold each other.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Thanks for the reviews - they really help!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was Wednesday afternoon, around 2:45 pm when Gibbs was startled by a knock on the door. Upon opening it, he found a young girl glaring up at him, a bit disappointed.

"Is Catherine here?"

He looked at her. She had brown, wavy hair that fell just below her shoulders and big blue eyes. "She's still at work. I'm going to take a guess and say you must be Missy."

"Yeah," she acknowledged, a bit distracted. "Hey, Mikey!" The girl ran past him into the house and scooped up the cat, holding him tight. Gibbs wasn't exactly sure what to do, so he simply shut the door.

"Does anyone know you're here, Missy?"

She looked at the strange man sitting across from her, trying to size him up. He seemed nice enough but she didn't get it. Her dad was a much better catch. "Well…"

Before she was able to finish answering, Jenny flew into the house, carrying a couple of bags. She stopped short when she saw Gibbs with the young girl. "Missy, I thought we said I'd pick you up."

"I had Laura's mom drop me off here instead of at my house."

Jenny sighed. "Does your dad know?" Missy shrugged. Jenny whipped out her cell phone and called Ryan. "She's at my house already. Yeah, I know. I'll drop her by later. Stop worrying."

Gibbs looked at both females, completely perplexed. Jenny took in the scene of the two of them, a smile coming to her lips. "Have you two been formally introduced?"

Missy shook her head. "But I know who he is. Can he leave?"

Gibbs tried not to laugh, and he could see Jenny shared his reaction.

"Missy, this is my friend Gibbs. He'll go upstairs while we talk."

"I thought Dad said he's your boyfriend now."

Jenny and Gibbs shared a look, both smiling. "Yes, he is," she admitted. Gibbs touched Jenny's shoulder before heading upstairs.

Missy rolled her eyes before joining Jenny on the couch. She whispered to Jenny, though Gibbs could hear. "I don't get it. My dad is much cuter than he is."

"That will do, young lady," Jenny said, lightly admonishing the girl.

At the top of the stairs, Gibbs simply shook his head. Kids. But her attitude allayed any guilt he might have felt over eavesdropping at the top of the stairs. He took a seat out of sight, listening to their interaction.

"Were you able to get the stuff?" Missy asked, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"Yes, it's right here. I got you a box each of pads and tampons, as well as a backpack to put them in so no one will be able to tell what you have in there, okay?"

Missy wrapped her arms around Jenny. "Thank you so much, Catherine. I didn't know who else to turn to."

Jethro's heart tugged at him. It made him wonder how he would have handled the situation with Kelly, had he ever been given the chance.

Jenny caressed the young girl's face, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "You can call me anytime and ask me anything. I'm really, really pleased that you know that."

"You'll stay my friend?"

"Absolutely. We're all friends, your dad and Gibbs too."

"Good. Dad needs friends. I guess we all do."

Jenny held the young girl's hand in hers. "You are very wise. So tell me, do you know what to expect? Are you having any cramping?"

"My stomach hurts a tiny bit."

"Yep, those are the cramps. Not fun. You scared at all, sweetie?"

"I was," admitted Missy. "But I talked about it with my friends and now you and I do feel better about it."

"You know, you can also talk with your father about it."

Missy snorted. "You've got to be kidding."

"It's not a bad thing, it's a part of growing up. It means you're not a little girl any more," Jenny said, trying to be reassuring.

"Well, if you want to tell him, it's okay. But I don't want him to talk to me about it if he knows."

"Fair enough."

"I guess I should get home."

Jenny smiled. "Pack up your things and let me run up to tell Gibbs I'm taking you home, okay?"

Missy nodded. Jenny headed up the stairs and smirked when she saw Gibbs sitting at the top of them. She helped him up and led him to their bedroom.

"I guess I don't have to fill you in," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's a strange fact of life. No daughter wants to tell her father about getting her first period. But he'd want to know, so I'm glad she agreed to let me tell him."

"You were so sweet with her. It was really beautiful," he said, taking her in his arms.

"I know what it's like to lose your mom when you're young. She's such a great kid. If there's anything I can do to help her or Ryan, after all they did for me, well I'm happy to do it."

He leaned his head down to rest on hers, sighing.

"What's wrong?"

Gibbs looked in her eyes, and she could see the sadness in them. "You would have made a great mother."

Jenny's eyes fought the tears that were forming. She backed away from Gibbs, quickly wiping away any moisture that had gathered. "Thank you. I… I should get going."

"Wait, don't…"

But in a flash she was down the stairs, motioning to Missy for them to leave. Once they were gone, Gibbs sat down on the bed, wanting to kick himself for upsetting her.

He thought about the young girl's visit and realized his coming back had not only taken away Missy's chance to have Jen as her new mom, but it had taken away Jenny's chance to _be_ a mom. It was a lot to absorb. And he didn't really want to.

Gibbs went downstairs to the kitchen. He took out a tumbler and filled it with bourbon. He swallowed a generous amount, feeling the amber liquid burn as it made its way down his throat. He took a deep breath before finishing the rest of it and then refilled the glass.

By the time Jenny returned, a good portion of the bottle was gone. She threw her purse on the coffee table and walked towards the kitchen. She took in the sight before her.

"Wow. Looks like there's a little bit left. You sure you've had enough?" she asked, pointedly.

"No," he managed.

"When will it be?"

He looked at her. "When I can't feel anything."

She sighed, swallowing hard. "Jethro, what's going on?"

He turned away from her. "Nothing."

"It's pretty obvious something's bothering you." She sighed. "You haven't touched me, really touched me, since yesterday morning. Did I do something?"

Gibbs' head was swimming. The bourbon was affecting him but not in the way he had hoped. Instead, the sadness he felt was being amplified.

Jenny didn't know what to do. Should she leave him alone to sober up? Would he be more likely to talk thanks to the liquor? Was that even fair? _It's fair - not like I poured it down his throat!_

He slumped down onto the stool at the counter, finally facing her. She walked over to him, scooting his legs apart so she could stand closer to him. She threaded her fingers in his hair and tilted his head up so he would have to look at her.

"I'm so sorry, Jen."

_Apologizing? He must be trashed._ "What for?"

"For running your life."

Jenny shot him a look. "What?"

He looked confused for a second. "I meant ruining."

"Uh huh." Jenny rolled her eyes. "Good lord. You're not going to be making any sense now, are you?" She tried to get his arm around her to help him stand up. "Come on, let's get you upstairs or at least to the couch so you can sleep this off."

Jenny struggled with him too much, so she aimed for the couch, realizing they'd never make it up the stairs. He banged his knee on the way down.

"Well, that's going to hurt almost as much as your inevitable hangover," she said, shaking her head.

He slumped down into the couch, leaning his head against the wall. She arranged some pillows and coaxed him to lie down. She then took off his shoes and put a blanket over him and within moments he was asleep. She sat down on the floor, watching him.

"What the hell is going on with you, Jethro? I _need_ you. Please stop pulling away from me. I miss you."

She crawled onto the couch to lay with him, pulling his arm over her, desperate to feel him close - even if he was unaware.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: For this one, I listened to "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan. Thanks for the reviews - they really help!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was still asleep, but he didn't realize it. He was in the middle of a nightmare, and it was wreaking havoc on his body as his mind kept flashing back.

_She's dead. Jenny's dead._

_She died protecting someone. You._

_Director of NCIS, Jenny Shephard, was buried today._

_Once upon a time I would have asked you to stay the night and I wouldn't have taken no for an answer. No._

_Jenny's dead._

"No! Jenny!" Gibbs shouted, waking both himself and Jenny.

She noticed it was around 10pm before she turned over on the couch and found Jethro covered in sweat, panic written all over his face. "What? I'm right here."

He grabbed her shoulders harshly, still feeling the last affects of the nightmare and the bourbon that hadn't made it out of his system. His eyes darted from her face, down her body and back up to her eyes. "You're okay?" he asked, panting as if he'd run a marathon.

Her heart sank as she saw the fear in his eyes. Jenny grabbed his face in her hands. "Look at me, Jethro. I'm right here. I'm fine."

The air between them was highly charged and before either knew it, they were all over each other. He couldn't rip her clothes off fast enough and she couldn't get enough of his mouth, his hair, his neck - both trying to possess the other.

He needed to mark her, prove she was real and was his. She was desperate to feel connected to him again. She'd been so lost without him.

Despite the love they felt, this was about something else. This was down and dirty sex, perhaps a bit rougher than usual because it was about feeling alive and connected. He smiled during her screams of pleasure; she dug her nails in deeper as he moaned his satisfaction. And when it was all done, they were both left breathless and sweating.

He continued to run his hands over her body, unable to get enough of her. She felt the same way, her mouth seeking his, determined to remain as close to him as possible. Finally they pulled away from the kiss, needing to breath.

"Wow," was all she could manage.

He held her close, keeping his hand threaded in her hair, kissing the top of her head. "I love you so much."

"Then will you please talk to me? What's going on with you?"

He suddenly sat up, almost knocking her off the couch. "I think I was flashing back to your death. It felt so real."

Not feeling like she had much room, and seeing as how Jethro seemed to be too out of it to notice, Jenny repositioned herself on the couch by sitting on his lap, facing him, wrapping her legs around him. He rather enjoyed having her there and put his arms around her waist, pulling the blanket around them both.

"I didn't mean just now, Jethro. _That_ didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out."

"What then?"

"You've been so distant lately. Then you drank almost an entire bottle of bourbon at three in the afternoon. Did I do something to upset you?"

Gibbs saw the beginning of tears gathering in her eyes, and he felt horrible. He quickly held her close to him, caressing her back as he buried his face in her hair. "No, and I'm sorry if I made you think that," he whispered. "I'm dealing with my own crap. That's all."

She pulled away so she could look in his eyes. "What _crap_ are you dealing with? We're supposed to be in this together - talk to me."

"I guess… I've been wondering if you may have been better off…"

She looked at him, perplexed. "Better off how?"

"If you hadn't run into me on the plane," he said, almost embarrassed to give voice to his thoughts.

She shook her head, angrily. "This is because of that conversation you had with Mary, isn't it?"

"Well…." he hesitated.

"I told her that _you_ were right, not her."

"You did?" he asked, surprised.

"Damn straight. She had no right to say that to you, mostly because she was dead wrong."

"You sure about that?"

"What is going on with you, Jethro? It's not like you to have so many doubts. What's your gut tell you?"

"Well, I thought I was right, but then some things she said seemed to make sense. Besides, it wasn't just what Mary said."

"What else?"

"If I wasn't back in the picture, you probably would have made a life with Ryan and gotten the chance to be a mom."

She closed her eyes, hanging her head low. "Good lord, Jethro, no wonder you hit the bourbon if that was what was playing around in your head."

"Don't tell me that thought hasn't crossed your mind."

"Are you still drunk? Because you'd have to be to think I'd rather be a mom - in a marriage to a man I don't love - than married to the only man…" She started to get choked up. "The only man I have loved so completely," she said as she gently kissed his forehead… "The only man who has made love to me in a way that made my body desire only him," as she gently kissed his right cheek. "The only man I've been able to think about since the day I met him," as she gently kissed his left cheek. "The only man in the world for me."

They locked eyes. "So tell me, Jethro, was that plain enough that even your drunk head could comprehend?"

He swallowed hard. "Maybe."

"Is that your attempt at being charming?"

"Did it work?"

"It was pretty lame compared to what I said."

"You always were better with words, Jen."


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Thanks for the reviews - they really help!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"I can't believe how much we slept yesterday. I mean, at least you have an excuse," shared Jenny.

Jethro came up behind her as she was getting dressed and rubbed her shoulders. She leaned into his touch, grateful for his attentive hands. He then kissed her head and sat down on the bed.

"It's been a pretty emotional time; I think that counts as an excuse for you," he offered. He noticed she was struggling with her bra. "Something going on there?" he asked, trying not to laugh.

She shot him a dirty look. "I think you got a little rough last night. They're sore."

He smirked. "Oops. Would you like me to massage them, make them feel better?" He stood up and went towards her.

Jenny rolled her eyes, putting up her hand to stop him from coming any closer. "I think that's what got 'em into trouble in the first place but nice try," she said as she finished dressing.

He sat back down on the bed, obviously disappointed. Jenny ignored his pouting.

He looked up at her. "You must be starving. I know I am. Want to go out to breakfast?"

Jenny looked at her watch. "I'd love to, but it will have to be quick. I don't want to be late."

He nodded. "Fair enough. Let's go."

They settled into the same booth as last time at Jenny's favorite breakfast joint. Norma immediately came over with hot coffee for them both and a big smile. She got the message that they were in a rush and quickly placed their orders.

Gibbs reached across the table and gently took Jenny's hand in his, making little circles absentmindedly.

Jenny enjoyed his touch. "I can't believe you're leaving in a few days."

"Me either," he said sadly.

"I know you keep avoiding how you plan to handle things when you get back there, but we really do need to discuss it."

He sighed. "I know."

"I promised Mary to stick with things until the trial is over. I guess we should be concentrating on formulating a plan for what happens after."

He kept his voice low but he wasn't too worried about being overheard, since there wasn't anyone seated close to them. "But I don't want to wait until then to get the team in gear. Are you on board with that?"

"I don't know. Another thing we should discuss but probably at home. What are you planning on telling them about me?"

"What do you mean?"

She smiled, squeezing his hand. "I mean, are you going to tell them about us, or will it simply be about The Director - or even that much?"

He had a mischievous grin on his face. "Do you want me to tell them?"

"Well, we both know it would make Abby and Tony deliriously happy - for different reasons of course."

He looked at her quizzically. "I get Abby but why DiNozzo?"

Jenny laughed. "Please, he'll finally be able to collect on bets you know he's taken about us being involved."

"But even if we did tell him, he couldn't collect; he wouldn't be able to say anything to anyone. Unless you think he bet Ziva and McGee."

"I doubt Ziva would take that bet."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why is that?"

Despite herself, Jenny blushed. "Let's just say that Ziva has more intel on the situation."

Suddenly, Gibbs was becoming fascinated with their discussion. "Oh she does, does she? Like what?"

Now Jenny was really blushing. "Well, I never said your name but I might have talked about you a bit…"

"A bit?" He was having way too much fun with this.

"Okay, maybe a lot - on the various stakeouts we did in the Middle East. You know how boring those can be. Obviously we couldn't deal with our boredom the same way you and I did so we talked," she smirked.

"What kind of things did you say to her?"

Jenny narrowed her eyes at him. "What kind of things did you say to Mike Franks during your margarita safari?"

"Uh, no changing the subject. We were talking about what _you_ said."

Jenny squeezed his hand. "Oh come on, give me a hint first." She removed her foot from a heel and worked it up his calf. "Pretty please."

"Now you're not playing fair."

She smiled from ear to ear. "I'm waiting."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I talked a lot about how my feelings for you were completely at odds with each other."

"Oh," she sighed. "How so?"

"I was frustrated. I was still so mad at you for leaving me behind and then your annoying 'no off the job' comment when you returned - and yet I still wanted you."

"Mike seemed to feel you returned because of me, not necessarily for the job."

"What do you think?"

"I think if you returned for me you had a horrible way of showing it. Until Mike said that, I felt like you didn't even like me. You were so cold."

Gibbs leaned back in his seat. "I was a jackass."

Jenny smiled. "Well, I wasn't terribly helpful on that front either. Was there anything else of interest you said to Mike?"

"I may have gone on and on about your ass but I can't be sure."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well that explains it."

"What?"

"Why he was staring at my ass. I didn't realize the great press it had it gotten."

"Yeah, well…" he smiled. "Okay, your turn."

"I still have to go? What you said wasn't exactly… nice."

"Oh you still have to go."

Jenny looked up and smiled. "Oh what do you know, Norma's here with our food! Hi, Norma."

Gibbs glared at Jenny.

"Maybe you'll have better luck getting Ziva to spill," she laughed.


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: OK, this took a whole bunch of songs - too numerous to mention. Thanks for the reviews - they really help!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was happy to be home. Dinner was eaten, dishes had been cleaned and now she and Jethro were relaxing on the swing in the backyard. He was sitting on one end while she was laying down across the length of it, with her head in his lap. He was running his fingers through her hair, quite content.

"Looks like your roots are starting to come back red," he said, smiling.

"I take it you want me to let them?"

"I love your hair no matter what."

"Liar," she laughed. "But thank you. If you notice any grey ones while you're looking there, feel free to yank them out."

"Um…"

"I was kidding, Jethro. Relax." As happy as she was at the moment, Jenny had something on her mind. "Okay, we've avoided it long enough. Can we please finish our discussion from this morning? I would like it over and done with so we can spend the rest of your time here without it hanging over us."

He sighed. He knew she was right, but he was so enjoying sitting together in silence, playing with her hair. "Sure."

She rolled her eyes, knowing it was going to be like pulling teeth to get him to tell her what he was thinking. Jenny knew if she wanted him to concentrate, she'd better sit up and face him, which she did. "How about if I start with what I know about my timetable."

He nodded. "Okay."

"I was given a ballpark schedule, taking into account the usual delays/postponements, tricks by the defense. It looks like they'll be ready for my testimony in about three or four months, but that the entire trial will probably last anywhere from nine months to a year."

Gibbs sighed. "So you're… I mean we're stuck here for another year at least?"

Jenny knew he was disappointed, but she also didn't know what else to do. She nodded.

"Is there a reason you have to stay in the program through the whole trial rather than just until you testify?"

"I don't know. That's a good question. Maybe because they could call me back at any time? Or they're worried if he isn't found guilty? Not sure. My guess is Kort's purpose now is to stop me from testifying. He must know it's me. He knows I saw him. Oh hell, I don't know."

Gibbs knew the conversation was stressing her out. He motioned for her to sit on his lap, which she did gladly. He put his arms around her, holding her close. "This is why I want the team to know. I want as many people as possible to protect you. Part of me would prefer you live on the navel base, with everyone on hand to protect you."

Jenny snorted. "That sounds like fun…not."

He became very serious. "It's not about fun. It's about making sure nothing happens to you. I don't know what I'd do if…" he broke off, not wanting to finish the thought.

She held him tighter. "I know."

"Has anyone told you if Kort or his people are still trying to get to you or do they believe you're dead?"

She leaned back to look at him, resting her hands on his chest. "I'm not sure. But my guess is at some point he's going to realize that if they're calling an eyewitness, it's probably me."

"I'm surprised that Tobias hasn't asked me for the FBI file back on the Frog's murder."

Jenny's eyes narrowed at him. "Why do _you_ have it?"

"I asked for it. When the FBI went on their fishing expedition and it looked like you were the target, I told him after you're cleared, I wanted to see the file. So he sent it to me… right about the time… you… were shot."

"I see the wheels turning a mile a minute. What are you thinking?" she asked.

"Interesting timing, don't you think?"

"Maybe, but for what purpose?" she wondered. "Whatever was in there, is that what made you think I killed him?"

Gibbs nodded. "Ballistics showed it was your Glock."

Jenny gave it some thought. "Yeah, Kort used my gun, which I had handed over to… well, you know that part. But Fornell must have been given a shadow or a copy of the case file, right? Because I'm sure the lawyers have to have the original. This just feels like a red herring. I don't think focusing on this right now serves us."

Gibbs ran his hands over his face, frustrated. "You're probably right," he said, motioning for her to get off his lap. He quickly stood up, anger boiling through him. "Damn it!" he yelled.

Jenny looked at him, confused. "What?"

He turned back to face her, his hands running through his hair, his eyes closed. "I want to fix this," he yelled, before slowly sinking onto the top step, his back to her.

Jenny walked over to sit down next him but made sure to give him plenty of space. "Jethro, yell at the world, yell at me, do whatever it is you need. This is one giant freaking mess." She then whispered, "But let it out. I don't want it to drive you to a breakdown, too."

He looked at her, pain evident in his eyes. He reached out a hand and caressed her face. "What happened to you?"

She stared out into her yard. "Nothing good."

"You can tell me. I love you."

Jenny was silent for a few moments. She then took a deep breath. "I had been running non-stop since my father's death. I had my five point plan to implement, my ambition was all about that - always knew what I had to do next. Then suddenly - I had nothing. No job to keep my mind occupied - and nothing but time… to think. I went to a really dark place."

He wanted to hold her, to comfort her, but she seemed almost untouchable. So he simply listened.

"I finally had time to think about things, what I had done with my life. All that I had lost. I was grieving, which I had never really done. Living off thoughts of revenge is not grieving. I don't know if waiting so long made it that much worse but it was pretty horrible."

He saw that her hands were shaking and he couldn't _not_ go to her. He carefully scooted over and held his hand out to see if she would take it. Relief flooded over him when she did.

"It hit me in waves, but it was unrelenting." She looked over at Gibbs. "I finally faced what happened to our baby, really allowed myself to feel it which I hadn't ever done. I didn't have the time before. I shoved everything down. But this time… I _felt _it."

He swallowed hard. "What happened?"

She looked down again and then out at the yard. "I didn't leave this house for 43 days, most of it spent in bed."

Gibbs felt like the wind was knocked out of him. He flashed back to the plane and his conversation with Mary. _It was a long road, Gibbs. She was messed up for a long time._

He'd been silent for a while. Jenny finally looked at him and saw the pain in his eyes. She attempted a smile. "So much for being the ice queen and tough as nails, right?"

He put his arms around her and whispered in her ear. "You came out the other side of it. You're a survivor. And the bravest, most amazing woman I've ever known. Don't ever forget that."


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: This was more a Three Dog Night kind of scene… "Shambala" which is a fun song that has been stolen by tons of commercials lately not to mention a great scene in "Lost," but I digress. Please keep up the reviews - they really help me see how the story is playing and any adjustments that might need to be made. They DO make a difference. Thanks again!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was the middle of the day, and Gibbs was exhausted. He and Jenny had stayed up very late working out the details of how he'd handle things back in D.C. with the team. It took a lot of compromising on both sides but by the time they went to sleep, they were both satisfied.

He was anxious for Jenny to get home in a few hours because then he'd have her all to himself until he had to leave on Sunday.

The doorbell rang so Gibbs put down the paper he was reading. He walked over to the window, glanced outside and saw a familiar face standing in front of the door.

"Catherine isn't here, Missy."

The young girl smiled and then pushed her way inside. "I'm here to see you, Gibbs. Where's Mikey? Hey fella!"

Gibbs shut the door, a bit confused. "You're here to see me? Why?"

"Catherine is paying me $20 to tutor you on your iPad today." She started unpacking her things and setting up the coffee table. She was all business.

He tried hard not to laugh. "Oh she did, did she? What if I gave you $30 to tell her I passed with flying colors."

Missy laughed.

"What's so funny?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled out her cell phone. Gibbs noticed its cover was pink and bedazzled. He momentarily wondered if Kelly would have mutilated her own phone like that.

"Wait, who are you calling?"

Missy put her finger up, indicating he should be quiet, completely annoying Gibbs. "It's me. You were so right! He totally did exactly what you said he would except he offered $30!"

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he sat down on the couch next to Missy. Jenny had an annoying habit of knowing him too well. Great, so now she and Missy were having a laugh at his expense. _Women._

Missy shot Gibbs a look. "She wants to talk to you," she said, holding up her cell phone.

"Oh I bet she does. But I'm not talking into that…. That pink thing."

Suddenly the home phone started ringing. He sighed before going over to pick it up. He shot Missy a look that had her laughing immediately. "Yes, dear."

"I hope you're going to behave and listen to that precious young lady." Jenny smirked; she was regretting not having installed hidden cameras because this was one afternoon she would have loved to eavesdrop on.

"You know, a heads-up would have been nice."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Jethro, Missy is coming over. Learn to use your damn iPad. Thanks, dear." Click.

He looked at Missy, feigning indignation. "She just hung up on me. Can you believe that?"

Missy laughed.

"Wish I could say it was the first time," he said under his breath. "Okay, young lady, earn your $20 and get me out of the dog house."

Missy stayed for the next two frustrating hours, but by the end of it Gibbs realized she was a pretty good teacher.

"Not bad, Gibbs. You almost seem like you can use it now."

"Almost," he laughed. "Thanks for your help. Maybe Catherine will stop yelling at me now."

Missy raised her eyebrows. "I wouldn't count on that. But even if it she does, I can tell she loves you a lot."

Gibbs' eyes lit up. "Yeah? What makes you say that?"

"When she drove me home on Wednesday, I was telling her how I like this boy Kent at school. She was asking me some questions about how he made me feel, and I asked her if she felt that way about you. Trust me, she's crazy about you."

Gibbs realized there might be a little bit more Missy could teach him. "What….._kind_ of questions?"

Missy thought about it for a few seconds. "She asked if I felt butterflies when I looked at Kent. Of course I totally knew what she meant. Every time I go to talk to him I get totally nervous, even if he just looks at me."

Gibbs was beginning to realize that while he enjoyed young kids, a tween had him a little out of his element. "And did Catherine share…"

Missy's eyes lit up and her smile matched. "Yeah, she said she still feels that way with you. It's really nice to know you can still feel that way even when you're old."

Gibbs frowned. "Old? Thanks a lot, Missy."

"And you're even older than Catherine," she marveled. "Do you get butterflies too?"

Just then, Jenny came in the house. "You're still here, that must be a good sign. I think."

She smiled at Jethro, who simply shook his head, trying not to laugh.

Gibbs looked at the girl. "To answer your question, Missy," he said, turning his attention back to Jenny. "Yeah, I still get butterflies."

He went to Jenny and gave her a light, feathery kiss on her lips. She turned to Missy, grinning. "What exactly is being taught around here?"

Missy smiled at Jenny. "He wasn't nearly as bad as you warned, Catherine. I like him even if he is grumpy. You're a keeper, Gibbs."

He was standing behind Jenny and slipped his arms around her waist. "Thanks, Missy. You agree, Cat?"

Jenny wiggled out of his grip, not wanting to indulge in public displays. Missy might have accepted Gibbs but she didn't want to rub it in the girl's face, either. "Definitely. Missy, do you need me to drive -"

Just then the doorbell rang. Missy held up her cell phone and wiggled it for them both to see. "Called Dad. That should be him."

Gibbs opened the door to Ryan, the two men shaking hands. Ryan leaned over and kissed the top of Jenny's head before looking over at his daughter. "Are you ready, hon?"

"Ryan, do you have a sec?" Gibbs motioned for the man to follow him into the kitchen. Jenny watched, unsure how she felt about it.

"Missy's a great kid. You're very lucky."

Ryan smiled. "Believe me, I know it. But I'm guessing that's not why you wanted to speak with me."

Gibbs nodded. "I'm leaving on Sunday to put my affairs in order before coming back to stay with Catherine permanently. I know it's a lot to ask, but…"

"You don't have to ask. We'll be here for her."

Gibbs nodded. "I appreciate it."

Jenny wandered over to the men. "Everything okay over here?"

Ryan watched the ease between Jenny and Gibbs. "I think we'll leave you two alone to enjoy the rest of your time together. I'm really glad you two found each other again. I've never seen this one so happy and she deserves it."

Gibbs removed his hand from around Jenny to shake Ryan's. "Thanks. For everything."

Jenny added her thanks. Ryan turned around and motioned for Missy to follow him.

"Bye, Gibbs! Bye, Catherine," she called out.

They both said their goodbyes before shutting the door behind them.

"That kid made me feel like I was 85-years-old," he laughed.

Jenny put her arms around him. "And Mary thinks we act like hormonal teenagers. You have to decide who you want to listen to."

He held her close, with just the smell of her intoxicating him, sending his mind reeling. "I subscribe to Mary's way of thinking," he said, threading his fingers through her hair - tilting her head up so he could kiss her.

Needing to breathe, they pulled apart briefly, with Jenny losing herself in his eyes.

Gibbs ran his thumbs lightly over her stomach, sending shivers her way, her eyes closing as she melted into his touch. "What are you thinking, Jen?"

She smiled. "Butterflies."

He nodded, pulling her closer to him. "Totally."


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: I can't believe we're at 40 already. I hope you're still having as much fun reading it as I am writing it. A HUGE thank you to AliyahNCIS for being my beta on this (yes, you're off the hook for having to review it, lol) and dealing with my anxiety.

The mood for writing today's scene was set by the song, "I Think it's Going to Rain Today," by Bette Midler.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Damn."

Jenny looked up from her pillow to see what was bothering Jethro. She found him still next to her in bed, but leaning on his elbows, looking outside.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He turned on his side to face her, gently removing a lock of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"It's okay. What's wrong?"

"I had a plan for us this morning, but it looks like it's going to rain. I thought this was a desert!"

Sleep was still tugging at Jenny, but she scooted closer to Gibbs in order to snuggle. "I thought you wanted to stay in bed until you leave for the airport tomorrow."

He kissed the top of her head, holding her close. "No, this was important. I wanted to have the service outside by the pomegranate tree."

The seriousness of the conversation sobered Jenny quickly. "You do? I didn't realize that. Is there a reason you wanted it there?"

He shrugged. "Not really, it just seemed like the perfect spot."

She kissed his forehead. "Did you know that the pomegranate is the symbol for resurrection and the hope of eternal life?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Is that true? I had no idea."

"Who cares if it rains? Rain is also about cleansing and new life," she shared.

He nodded his head. "Let's do it then."

"In a little bit? I still need you to wake me up properly, Special Agent Gibbs." Then she whispered, "Make me feel alive, Jethro."

He gently caressed her face, staring deeply into her eyes. "I accept that mission."

An hour or so later, the two were dressed and gathered in the kitchen. They were drinking coffee as Gibbs showed her the finished plaque.

Jenny was overwhelmed. She slowly caressed it, running her fingers over the words that were etched with love. The stain he used had brought out a beauty in the wood that she hadn't really seen before. She used the sleeve of her windbreaker to dab at her eyes. Her voice, once she found it, was a bit throaty. "It's so beautiful, Jethro." She held it tightly in her hand as she threw her arms around his neck.

Gibbs held her close, stroking her hair. He then pulled away, taking her hand gently in his - leading her outside. She saw he had placed two of the deck chairs by the tree, once again incredibly moved by his thoughtfulness. She threaded her fingers with his, squeezing tightly.

They took their seats without letting go of the other's hand. As if on cue, they began to feel the first droplets. Neither cared.

Together they placed the plaque in the dirt near the tree. They sat in silence for several minutes. Jenny contemplated what she was going to say when Jethro surprised her by going first. What didn't surprise her was the emotion she heard in his voice.

"You will never know how much your mother and I wish you were here with us. Wish you were given the chance to embrace life, to play with other kids, to laugh, to feel our love for you and each other. I'm so… profoundly sorry."

He finally looked over at Jenny and saw her staring at him with tears running down her face, mixing with the rain.

She simply nodded. "That was beautiful, Jethro," she whispered. He put his arm around her and held her close. He was about to ask her if she wanted to say anything when he felt his arm going up and down and realized she was crying. Hard.

It took her few minutes to compose herself. "Damn, when is it going to get easier? Enough already," she said, wiping away the tears and rain from her face. She looked at Jethro and then at the plaque, slowly shaking her head. "I'm so, so sorry I couldn't protect you. But know you were _wanted_… and know you were _loved_."

Jenny leaned her head against Jethro's. The two sat out in the rain, thinking about all they had lost. After some time, Jethro kissed her head and motioned that they should go inside. Jenny nodded sadly, reaching for his hand and together they went back to the house.

Wordlessly they went upstairs, heading for the shower to warm up. Jethro gently removed her clothes and then his own. They stood under the hot stream, simply holding each other for a long time. Eventually they got out of the shower and toweled off. Jenny stayed behind to blow dry her hair. Jethro indicated he was getting back under the covers. She nodded, as she continued to direct the hot air onto her damp hair.

Once under the covers, Gibbs reached into the drawer and pulled out the ring box. He stuck it safely in his pillowcase.

He heard the dryer go off and hoped she'd be out quickly but it was still several minutes. He'd almost fallen back to sleep when she slipped under the covers. He was surprised when she chose to sit up, rather than lay down so he did the same.

He wasn't sure what to make of the strange look on her face. He decided the little box might make her feel better. "I have something for you, Jen."

Her breathing seemed to be rapid but she was still with him, she hadn't zoned out, for which he was grateful. "I have something for you too, Jethro, but perhaps you should go first."

He reached into the pillowcase and brought out the tiny box.

Her eyes went wide. "Is it what I think it is? How did you manage?"

He opened it up for her, showing the platinum three stone engagement ring - a beautiful diamond with an emerald on either side of it. "I wanted something that reminded me of you - stunning yet elegant."

He slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly thanks to his detective work. She looked at it, speechless.

"Well, Jen, do you like it?" He could tell by the way her eyes lit up and the fact she was glowing, he'd done a great job. She finally threw her arms around him, depositing quick kisses all over his face.

"I love it - it's absolutely perfect. It's so delicate and lovely, exactly what I would have wanted. How do you do that? You keep amazing me," she said, caressing his face. "I need you to really know how much I love it."

He looked at her, puzzled. "Why do you say it like that?"

She looked at him, barely able to contain herself. "Because I'm afraid it's going to pale by comparison to the gift I'm giving you."

He shot her a disbelieving look. "Really? What did you get me?"

She reached behind her for a cardboard box. "I can't say I took the care with it that you did; in fact, I pissed all over it."

He was completely confused. "What?"

She pulled the stick out of the box. "We're pregnant."


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: Receiving a gold star (for seeing almost all of the clues) is Hopesmom, who pretty much guessed where this was going at Chapter 18.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Did you hear me, Jethro? I'm pregnant."

Gibbs was too stunned to speak. Unfortunately, Jenny was taking his lack of excitement as rejection. Her complete joy - replaced by disappointment. She quickly found her robe and put it around her before she sat back on the bed, facing forward - bringing her legs up and hugging them. She turned her head over her shoulder to look at him.

"I don't know what kind of reaction I was expecting but this definitely wasn't it."

Gibbs finally found his voice. "Can you give me a few minutes to process this?" He scrubbed his hand down his face.

"Sure, take all the time you need," she said angrily as she shed her robe and started putting clothes on. "I'm going for a drive."

"Jen, honey, stop. Don't go anywhere," he said, frustrated.

"Don't honey me, you prick."

She grabbed her keys and quickly headed downstairs. Jethro, only wearing his boxers, chased after her. He caught up with her at the front door, putting his hand up to slam the door back shut. When she went to shove him out of the way, he grabbed her in his arms and held her tight.

"Let me go, damn it."

Her squirming served to only make him tighten his grip around her. "Stop it. Jenny, I'm just _scared_. Will you listen to me for a second?"

She stopped moving. He was behind her and loosened his grip on her arms to instead slip them around her waist. He held her close to him, whispering in her ear. "A million things were… are running through my head, not the least of which is the danger you're in has now increased exponentially." He gently placed his hands under her T-shirt, just below her stomach. "If anything happened to either of you, I don't know if I could go on."

She placed her hands over his. "Oh, Jethro," she sighed. She leaned her head back against him, her lips looking for his. When they found their target, she turned to face him - her hands moving around his neck, threading into his hair.

The ending of the kiss became as delicate as it started. Gibbs pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her hair. He whispered into her ear. "I _am_ excited, Jenny. You have no idea how badly I want to have this baby with you. But so many -"

She put her hand over his mouth. "I know. I know all the things that can go wrong. And we can go over each and every one of them. Tomorrow. Today, can't we just appreciate this miracle? Can't I dream about the future, with our little baby in my arms and you, with your arms around us both, bursting with pride?"

He nodded, ashamed to have ruined the moment for her. He realized he should have known she'd be thinking about all the risks too. She was not only a brilliant director but a gifted agent because she could always see at least five steps ahead.

She stepped away from him, walking over to the couch. She sank down into it, resting her head in her hands. "I guess we might as well discuss it now. Not like I can go back to simply enjoying the moment any more."

Now he really felt horrible. He held out his hand to her. "Come with me back upstairs. Let's try this all over again." He hated the dejected look on her face.

She got up slowly, gently taking his hand. "That's okay. I'll come back upstairs but maybe we should have that discussion. I do want to know what you're thinking."

They headed back upstairs silently, the mood a somber one.

Jenny took off her shoes and sat on their bed. "I know it's a scary time for me to have a child, Jethro, but you have to know I will protect this little one with my life."

"I don't want it to come to that, Jen," he sighed. "Most couples would be worrying about the normal things that come with having a baby at our ages, the risk that comes with that. We have all that _and_ knowing there are a bunch of assassins out there wanting you dead."

Jenny couldn't shake the feeling she was getting. "Jethro, are you blaming me for this?"

He sighed. "Jen…"

"I don't remember anything stopping you from putting a condom on. You didn't even ask if I was using any protection."

He reached over and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sure a part of me wanted this to happen just as much as you. That doesn't mean my head isn't reeling."

"Let's start then one thing at a time. First thought?"

"First, I can't believe it happened this fast. I had fears that we'd try and it wouldn't work and what that would do to you."

"Wow. So you really were thinking about it?"

"How could I not after all we've been talking about and going through these past two weeks. There is one thing I know without a single doubt. You're going to be such an amazing mom." He was so relieved to see a smile return to her face.

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

"You know, since I found out pretty much the first second possible, this is going to be the longest pregnancy in the history of mankind."

His smile was bittersweet.

She looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"I still have to go back to D.C. It's going to kill me to miss even a second of this pregnancy, and I'll be missing far more than that. How on earth am I going to leave you?"

Jenny remained quiet. In her heart, she hoped this news would encourage him to work faster to come back to her, but to actually voice that out loud made her feel a bit desperate and clingy. The thought of going through this and not having him with her at doctor appointments, etc., to share every moment was almost too much to bear. But she also didn't want to make it harder for him. Jenny knew given the choice Jethro wouldn't leave her side. Yet what he was going back to do would help ensure their safety.

She held onto him tightly. "I know it's going to be hard on both of us, but I don't know any other way around it. We knew you were going to have to go back."

He buried his face in her hair. "I know but it was going to be hard enough to just leave you. Now… these first three months are really important. If anything happens and I'm not here to help you through it, I…"

She leaned back to look in his eyes. "Jethro, even if the worst happens…" she sighed. "We'll still have each other."

"Will we, Jen? You have such a big heart, but it's taken a lot of hits. So has mine. Do you really think we can survive something going wrong?"

Jenny saw the genuine fear in his eyes. It hurt her that he was so fixated on what could go wrong rather than on what was finally going right for them. It amazed Jenny how this tiny life inside her was filling her with a strength she hadn't felt in what seemed like ages. She _knew_ everything would be all right. This was their second chance in so many ways. The world couldn't be that cruel to snatch it away again.

"Jethro, we have something going for us this time that neither of us had through those other dark times in our lives."

He so wanted to believe her. He looked into her beautiful emerald eyes that were willing him to feel her strength, to share it. "What's that, Jen?"

She cupped his face in her hands and whispered, "Listen to me carefully and really hear what I'm saying to you. This time it _is_ different. This time we have each other and a deep, unwavering trust in our love. See this ring you put on my finger? It means no one leaves. I will _never_ leave you. _That_ is what's different this time. Now, are you ready to go on this adventure with me?"

He managed a tiny smile. "Jen, don't you know I'd follow you anywhere?"


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" got me through this chapter that didn't want to get written.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny and Gibbs spent the rest of Saturday in bed, except for the occasional outing to the kitchen to eat. Very little talking was involved, which was pretty much the way they liked things. Instead, they took full advantage of the time they had left to spend it wrapped in each other's arms, not knowing when the opportunity to do so again would present itself.

As for the pregnancy, they decided they would try to take each day as it comes, rather than focus on all that could go wrong. At least this was Jenny's plan.

It was now Sunday and the time of Gibbs' departure was fast approaching.

"I've called a cab to take me to the airport," he admitted.

"Why?" Jenny tried to hide her disappointment.

He walked over to the woman he loved, putting his arms around her. "You know it's better this way. Besides, it's not like you can wait with me at the gate with security measures being the way they are. And I can say goodbye to you properly here in the privacy of our own home," he said, leaning down to kiss her gently on the lips.

"Our home," she said, smiling as she pulled him closer to her. "I like the sound of that."

"In some ways, I can't believe it's been two weeks already and in others…"

"It feels like a lifetime?" she asked, knowingly. He nodded.

She sighed. "Do you have everything packed and ready, including your iPad?"

He held her even tighter. "Yes. You'd better put up lots of pictures. I'm going to want to see as the little one here progresses," he said, placing a protective hand just under her stomach.

She placed her hand over his. "You know, there's not going to be any change for a few months."

"Doesn't mean I wouldn't still want to see pictures of your stomach… or anything else you'd care to show me," he said seductively.

Jenny laughed. "You are incorrigible, you know that?"

"Can you blame me if I want to see pictures of my hot, sexy soon-to-be wife while I'm away from her?"

Now Jenny couldn't stop smiling. "You win serious points for that one. I can't wait to be your wife. Your _wife_," she said, marveling at the thought. Her face quickly turned serious. "This will be your last marriage, right? You can stop now."

He rolled his eyes at her teasing, before he caught a glimpse at the clock and frowned. "The cab's going to be here any second."

The look on her face killed him. He knew she was trying to keep it together all weekend, to make it easier for him but this was so raw. He quickly scooped her up in his arms. She jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist, threading her fingers through his hair as they shared a passionate kiss, filled with their promise to each other. He ran his hands all over her body one last time, ending up in her hair.

The cab's honking interrupted the moment, breaking their kiss apart. They locked eyes as he slowly helped Jenny stand back up. Without breaking the look they were sharing, Gibbs opened the door, waving to indicate he knew they'd arrived. He and Jenny held hands, fingers wrapped around each other, still staring at each other, trying to say it all with their eyes.

"I love you, Jethro. With all my heart," she said, holding up her ring finger. "You're stuck with me. Remember that."

"Everything, Jen. You're my everything. Remember _that_," he said as he let go of one of her hands to reach down for his suitcase. "I'm going to do my best to rush back here. I promise."

She nodded. "I know."

He dropped her other hand to grab her close to him for one last feathery kiss he gently placed on her lips before letting her go. "See you later."

"See you later," she said, sadly watching him walk out the door to the cab.

He put his stuff in the trunk, turning back to look at her watching from the doorway.

She saw the pain in his eyes as he got in the cab. She placed one hand over her lower stomach and used the other to wave from beside it, hoping he understood. From the look on his face, she could tell that he knew his baby was also saying goodbye. When his cab was out of sight, Jenny slid down to the ground and cried.

At the airport, Gibbs pulled out his long neglected cell phone and turned it on. He placed a call. "It's Gibbs. I need a favor."

A little while later, Gibbs made another call. "McGee. Was it done?"

"Yes, Boss. Are you at the airport now?"

"Yeah. Getting ready to board. Thanks, Tim."

He hung up the phone, grateful to his young agent. Things were on their way. Then his phone rang.

"Gibbs." He listened to the caller, smiling to himself. "You aren't busy, are you?"

The plane ride home only served to remind him of his previous flight, making him feel her absence more intensely. Gibbs decided to replay moments from the past two weeks in his head, to keep his spirits up. Exhausted from the lack of sleep over the weekend and coupled with the anxiety he was feeling about being apart from her, sleep grabbed hold of him for most of the flight.

Some time later, Gibbs finally found himself in front of his house. He paid the cab driver, grabbed his stuff and walked towards it. He stopped in the middle of his yard. He saw McGee, Ziva, Tony and Abby waiting for him.

He nodded his approval. _And so it begins._


	43. Chapter 43

A/N: Code, I am so happy you left a review and would love to address what you wrote but you weren't signed in. For what it's worth, the research I did showed she COULD know 15 days after conception. Don't worry, I _have _been using a "week by week" website to help me with my research. Just ask AliyahNCIS (damn spellcheck; and thanks for the beta of this too!). Hopesmom caught my clues. ;) I stick by my belief she would tell him right away, especially after what happened years ago when she didn't. I don't think she could ever do that to him again.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs," squealed Abby as she flung herself into his arms. "I missed you. No more two week vacations."

"Need to breathe, Abs."

"Oh, right."

Gibbs kissed her temple before letting her go so he could greet the others. "Thanks for coming. McGee, did you sweep it yet?"

"Uh, no Boss. I guess that would have been a good idea to do beforehand. If some of these guys help, I'm sure we could do it quickly."

Gibbs reached the front door, turning his attention to Tim. "Is it all set?"

"Top of the line, Boss. Just like you asked."

Gibbs unlocked the door.

Tony and Ziva looked at each other. Who knew his door even had a lock?

Gibbs quickly found the newly installed alarm and put in the code he'd asked for. The same one Jenny had. Abby shot a confused look McGee's way, and he simply shrugged.

Gibbs turned on the light. "Take Tony and Abby to help you. Ziver, stay with me out here."

The Israeli took a seat next to him as the others headed inside. "Something I can help you with, Gibbs?"

"I wanted to thank you for handling the team, getting them to back off. I don't know what you said, but it seemed to work."

She smiled. "Will we be finding out what the big secret is or was?"

He nodded. "Eventually. Wanted to ask you something."

She looked him, curious. "All right."

He tried to appear as nonchalant as possible. "During the trip, I got to thinking a bit about Jenny."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You two worked together on missions. Did she ever… mention me?"

Ziva eyed him suspiciously. "Why now?"

_Uh oh_. He shook his head slightly, looking off into the distance. "I don't know. Lost in memories. Something she said once made me wonder if she still cared after Paris. Thought maybe you could help clarify some things."

He smiled to himself. That seemed to affect her.

"I don't know, Gibbs. I do not want to betray her trust."

Gibbs was no actor, but he tried his best to channel a sad look. He thought about leaving Jenny earlier.

She sighed. "I suppose that is a silly response, after all, she has been gone for some time. Perhaps I could share a few memories."

It took a lot of self control for him to remain still. He couldn't wait until he had the chance to rub in Jenny's face that he got Ziva to spill.

"She spoke a little bit about you but mostly about a man she left behind in Paris. I believe I realized my first day at NCIS he was you, no?"

Gibbs nodded. "How'd you know?"

Ziva smiled at the memory. "You were kissing a red-haired woman at the elevator. I glanced back and saw her watching you. The look… I just knew. It seemed personal."

_Interesting._ "Thank you, Ziva. It means a lot to think I mattered to her, even after all those years."

"If you are indeed the man from Paris, you most certainly did. It was easy to tell you had her heart. I know she ran away. Why?" Ziva shrugged. "She never said. I got the feeling she thought she cared more for you than was returned. Like there was a part of you that you kept hidden away. I suppose that was true? You never told her about your first wife or daughter, yes?"

He scrubbed his hand down his face and nodded. It seemed that in questioning Ziva he was getting more than he'd bargained for.

"Boss, we're done." Tim led the others outside to speak with Gibbs. "We found one bug in your basement."

Gibbs' glared fiercely at the little piece of technology as if his eyes could burn a hole right through it. "I want the full works done on that thing. So the rest of the house is clean?"

When Tim nodded, Gibbs motioned for everyone to enter the house. Once they were inside, he armed the alarm, motioning for them all to follow him to the basement.

Downstairs, Gibbs motioned for them all to find a place to sit. "You double and triple checked it down here. There isn't anything?"

Abby looked worried. "Gibbs, what's going on? You have a lock _and_ an alarm now. Someone bugged your home. You were on some top secret trip. Is everything okay?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. Soon there would be no turning back. "I need your help. I'm going to be reading you four into a case that is way above our pay grade. I need your assurances that what you're going to learn about tonight you will not tell another living soul. If you need to speak with someone about it, you come to me. Can you do that? Because if not, I won't think less of you, but I need you to leave right now."

"Uh…"

"Ya gotta a problem, DiNozzo? Spit it out."

"I've never heard you say that much in one breath. I think I can speak for everyone here - I'm a little freaked out right now."

Gibbs moved his glare from Tony to Ziva, who was sitting right next to him. Reading Gibbs' thoughts, Ziva quickly head-slapped Tony.

"This could be dangerous for you all. It's certainly life and death for someone else. I need to hear from each of you before I say anything else. Are you in?"

"For you, El Magnifico, anything," announced Abby.

Tim went next. "I'm in."

"But of course," added Ziva. "I am in as well."

Tony met Gibbs' eyes without wavering. "I'm in, Boss."

Gibbs nodded. "Good. Because I'm going to need all of you and your skills. This is one giant mess."

He looked around at his team and saw that he had their full attention. "It involves a woman by the name of Catherine Jones. Now, no matter what you learn here tonight, no matter what is said, her name is Catherine Jones and that is the only name, when referring to her, that I _ever _want to hear uttered by any of you. Do you understand me?"

They all nodded their heads, giving their verbal affirmations as well.

"She witnessed a murder and is now in the WITSEC program, courtesy of the CIA, FBI and possibly every other agency in the alphabet soup, including our own. I will go into further detail of this operation, but first I'm going to let her speak to you herself. McGee, let me know when we need to hang up with her, okay?"

The young agent knew exactly what Gibbs meant. "Got it, Boss."

"No one is to say a word unless she addresses you. Understood?"

Abby, McGee, Tony and Ziva all exchanged confused looks before nodding.

Gibbs pulled out a cell phone that none of them recognized. It was one of those prepaid ones that could be dumped easily. He dialed a number and listened as she picked up. "You ready?" he asked. Once she answered, he put the phone on speaker.

"Thank you all for agreeing to help. It really means a lot to me."

Abby gasped. Tony and Ziva shared a haunted look while Tim's mouth fell open. All eyes turned to Gibbs in astonishment. Then he did something they'd rarely, if ever, seen him do. He smiled.

"Tony and Ziva, I'm so sorry about what happened. Gibbs will explain more but I hope you know how proud I am of you both and Tim too. You're all fine agents. Abby, without even knowing it, you have been very important to me over this past year. You've been my lifeline to this team. Thank you. Jethro, how much more time do I have?"

He flashed a look at McGee. "Ma'am, you should probably hang up in about 30 seconds."

"One last thing. Ziva - Jethro's going to grill you about Cairo. Try not to break."

Ziva shot Gibbs a glare.

Jenny started laughing. "Crap, I'm too late, aren't I?"

Gibbs took the phone off speaker and held it to his ear. "Yep." He heard her laughing on the other end. "Catherine, remember… _everything_." And with that he hung up.

Gibbs looked at his team. Their eyes were filled with shock, and within seconds questions were coming at him from every direction as they all talked a mile a minute, trying to take everything in.

He sighed. He knew it was going to be a long night.


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews - they really do inspire me. Keep 'em coming. Hope you like this one!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs and his team were dragging, exhausted from the previous night. He was proud of them, the way they wanted to do whatever they could to help out Jenny. He had worried about Tony, knowing how the younger agent had reacted after her 'death' and the guilt he'd felt, but DiNozzo had also grown a lot over the past year. Abby of course was over the moon. Ziva felt taken advantage of by Gibbs, but of course she would do anything for her friend. McGee was eager to help as well. All in all, the special agent was grateful. He knew Jenny would be as well.

Unfortunately, they caught a case. While they were at the crime scene, Abby worked on tracing the origin of the bug. She also took advantage of the time to send out another tweet, one she now knew would be seen with interest.

_Regretted not telling Mommy she was a snappy dresser. Hope it makes her smile. I couldn't stop smiling last night. Everyone feels lighter._

Jenny couldn't stop smiling either at the Goth's communication. She looked at her watch; it was almost time to head home.

The phone call with the team had gotten her adrenaline pumping, so falling asleep after had proven nearly impossible. Of course, she knew her first night without Jethro lying beside her in their bed would be difficult regardless. She had gotten used to having him there to hold her as she fell asleep and the special way he would wake her each morning.

The more contact she had with the outside world, _her_ world, the better she felt. She could only imagine what their faces must have looked like when they heard her voice. She hoped Jethro had been able to convey her regret about how it all went down. She never wanted to hurt Tony, Ziva or anyone else for that matter.

With the remaining time of her shift, Jenny sat down at a computer and typed out a Facebook message that she hoped Jethro would receive later that night. She then gathered her things and headed back to the house. It didn't feel right to call it home, not when the man she loved was away from it.

"What'cha got for me, Abs?"

Gibbs was back at NCIS and in Abby's lab, hoping she had something for him - on either case. Of course she did.

Abby motioned for him to follow her into the back, where she locked the door behind him. "I made sure to sweep the whole lab, so we're fine."

"The bug?"

"Yes. Standard issue CIA. I'm guessing Kort's doing?"

Gibbs nodded darkly. "Good guess."

Abby sighed. "I got to thinking about it, Gibbs. I hope we didn't screw anything up by taking it."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Meaning?"

"Well, do you think it's going to make his people curious as to why you were sweeping your place for bugs? Should we have left it in place and maybe fed it misinformation?"

He pulled her into a hug. "I do like the way you think, Abs. Glad you're on my side."

She pulled back, all smiles. "Do you want me to return it to the place we found it?"

"Nah. I think it's okay. Got anything for me on our case?"

Jenny was relaxing on her couch, reading a book when she heard the doorbell ring. Not expecting anyone, she reached into in purse for her Beretta, putting it in the small of her back. She then looked outside. Upon seeing her visitor, she muttered, "I'm going to kill him."

She swung open the door. Both she and her visitor exclaimed at the same time, "What the hell?"

Gibbs saw the time and smiled to himself. He knew he would be getting a call shortly, so he told the team they could head home for the night. McGee and Tony quickly headed out but Ziva stayed behind to walk out with Gibbs. In the elevator, she flipped the switch.

"Something on your mind, Ziva?"

She looked at Gibbs, not saying anything for a few seconds, just staring him down. When he looked like he was starting to get angry, she broke into a smile and said, "You two are back together, yes?"

He wasn't planning on telling anyone _that_ part. He eyed Ziva carefully, debating what to do.

Ziva smirked. "I thought so."

"I didn't say anything."

Ziva flipped the switch and laughed. "Yes, you did."

He rolled his eyes. "Say anything and I'll -"

"Kill me, yes, understood."

He tried not to smile.

"I am happy for you both."

Gibbs shook his head as he watched the Israeli head off. He wondered when he became so easy to read.

Jenny eyed her guest suspiciously. "I can't believe he called you. What'd he say?"

"He said there was a package he needed me to sit on."

"Package?" Jenny was getting angry. "Sit on? I'm going to kill him. I don't suppose you have a phone?"

The man nodded. "Made me get it before coming here."

Jenny was quickly losing patience. "I wasn't just asking for my health. Hand it to me!"

Gibbs had just walked in his house when his cell phone rang. "Yes, dear."

Jenny was fuming. "Don't 'yes dear' me. What were you thinking, Jethro? I mean, honestly? You sent a chain smoker who stares at my ass to 'sit on me'? What the hell?"

"I'm over your ass, Director." Jenny shot Mike Franks a Gibbs-patented glare.

"Hey, he has a phone. Thought you'd like that," Gibbs said, trying to show her the bright side of his arguably questionable plan.

Jenny took a deep breath. She sat down in the kitchen. "How long do you expect him to stay?" She saw Franks looking at her things. "Hey, don't touch that!"

Gibbs turned serious. "I want him there until I can come back. I don't care if you call me a chauvinist or think I'm being over protective - he's the one guy I trust to keep you both safe. Let him stay. It'll make me feel better."

"What makes you think I want to make you feel better?"

She could feel his shock through the phone. She whispered, "I don't want you to feel better about being away. If you feel better, you won't feel the need to hurry back."

"Come on. You know that isn't true."

"Fine," she sighed. "I get the impression he didn't know what he was getting himself into."

Gibbs shrugged. "Yeah, probably not. Just tell him he's not allowed to go out for water without arming the alarm."

"Cute, Jethro. This conversation isn't over, but I'll talk with him, and we'll figure it out. I know you're just worried. You couldn't run this by me first?"

"Rule 18."

"I haven't heard you ask."

"Forgive me?"

"I'll think about it," she said.

Gibbs could almost hear the smile in her voice. "I love you. Do I have a message waiting for me?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Written long before this happened, so take it with a grain of salt, you Neanderthal."

"You two talk and then tell Mike to call me tomorrow, okay?"

"I will. I love you too," she said.

"Oh dear God, you and Probie finally got it together? Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

"Tell Mike I said to shut up," laughed Gibbs.

Jenny glared at Mike, before she said firmly to Gibbs. "Got it covered."

Gibbs shook his head as he hung up the phone. He retrieved the iPad and logged into his Facebook account, finding the message Jenny had sent him.

_I'm getting ready to leave work but I almost dread going back to the house. You aren't there. This morning I could still make out your scent on your pillow but it's fading, making the last two weeks feel like it must have been a dream. But then I remember the part of you that you left behind, and it gives me strength. We're waiting for you, Jethro. Everything._

He sighed. "God, I miss you."


	45. Chapter 45

A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews - they really do inspire me. Keep 'em coming. Hope you like this one! Getting me in the mood for part of this chapter was Melissa Ethridge's "I Will Never Be The Same."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny hung up the phone after talking with Gibbs, now resigned to having Mike Franks staying with her for a while. She figured the least she could do was be a decent hostess. She walked over to the fridge, grabbed a beer and gave it to her guest. Jenny then took a seat across from him.

Mike immediately took a swig, never taking his eyes off of her. "So you're alive. Didn't see that one coming."

"You're in my house. Didn't see _that _one coming."

"What can I say? Probie asked for a favor. Could hardly turn him down."

"How much did he tell you?" Jenny needed to know exactly what she was dealing with, and there was a good chance Jethro had told his old mentor more than he had told her about his plans.

"Not much. He gave me an address, said what I told you about a package. Told me to get a phone and drive all the way. Said I'd understand once I got here."

"And you came, no questions asked?" Jenny was impressed.

"Wouldn't you?"

Jenny nodded. "But I'm in love with him."

"Touché," he said before taking another swig of beer. "How long has he known you're alive?"

"A little over two weeks."

Mike arched his eyebrows. "And you've already got a rock on your finger? Impressive."

Jenny realized she needed to be more on her toes around the former investigator. "You disapprove?"

"He doesn't have the greatest track record."

Jenny snorted. "No kidding."

Just then, Mikey jumped up on the couch, startling Mike. "What the? You've got a pet rat?"

Jenny glared at him. "That's not a rat, Mike. He's a cat. Come here, Mikey." Jenny regretted saying his name the second it left her lips.

"Mikey? Your rat's name is Mikey?"

Jenny sighed. It was going to be a long night.

The next day, Gibbs and his team were still working the case. He had briefly spoken with Ducky the day before, but only about the evidence. The ME hadn't asked about his trip and Gibbs didn't offer. He had contemplated asking his old friend about what happened with Jenny's "autopsy" - to see how much he knew but realized there wasn't anything to be gained. He had to put aside his curiosity, his worry about who left him in the dark and simply concentrate on what could be done now.

Gibbs had sent out McGee and Ziva to question a couple of the witnesses. Abby was busy in the lab running tests on the evidence, which left him alone with Tony.

"Hey, Boss, want to get some coffee with me?"

Tony was shooting him a look that let Gibbs know this trip wasn't about coffee. He nodded and followed the younger agent out into the open air. They walked silently to get coffee and on the way back, Tony motioned for Gibbs to follow him. The two sat on a bench in the courtyard.

"Something on your mind, DiNozzo?"

"I've been thinking about… you know, Boss. Could the alphabet guys have anyone undercover already with Kort's circle? Would it be worth it to send me or Ziva in to find out what they know or are planning?"

Gibbs appreciated Tony's eagerness to help and his keen mind. He knew it'd be wrong to dismiss his idea out of hand, without giving it careful consideration. "I wonder if Mossad has anyone?"

"You know Ziva would ask."

Gibbs shook his head. "That's the frustrating thing about this. We have to be careful who and what we ask. It could be too risky."

Tony could see the older agent struggling. He knew Jenny meant more to all of them than just being their former Director. She was Gibbs' partner at one time, after all. And of course, she was probably more than that when they were operating in Paris.

"We'll figure out something, Boss. We won't stop until we do."

Gibbs nodded, and Tony knew that was the closest thing he'd get to a 'thank you' from the man. Gibbs cell phone rang, and he motioned for Tony to go inside.

"Gibbs."

"Got your message." Mike Franks was still a bit tired from his traveling and late night with Jenny.

"How is she?"

"Ornery as ever. She read me in. That's one mess you two got."

Gibbs sighed. "If you have any ideas, I'm open."

"You may need to go Natasha on them one at a time."

"That's where my head was going, too." Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face. "Did she tell you anything… personal?"

"I saw the rock. Nice job, Probie. Glad you finally got over yourself."

Gibbs looked around, making sure no one could hear him. "She won't tell you, but I think you should know that she's pregnant."

"Well, I'll be. Damn, you work fast."

"It could be difficult, so please watch for signs, keep her stress level down."

The old codger softened. "I understand. I'll take care of them for you. You get the bastards."

Jenny was grateful to be back at work. Talking with Mike had given her a headache. While a part of her resented Jethro's interference, having backup was probably a good idea. She was no longer able to concentrate solely on being alert. Her focus had been taken off herself and was now on the baby she was carrying. _Their baby_. She sat down at a computer and wondered if there was a message waiting for her. She had never corresponded with Jethro before, and she wasn't quite sure what to expect. She logged into her Facebook account. When she saw she had a message, her heart skipped a beat. She was shocked when she saw the length of it.

_Glad you suggested this. I screw things up talking. Typing isn't easy but worth it. Wish you saw their faces when they heard your voice. Made me miss you more. Basement bugged, most likely him. Ziva cornered me, she figured out we're together but only one so far. Forgive me about Mike. Don't ever think I'm ok about being gone. All of me hurts without you. Everything._

Jenny re-read the message about 10 times, wiping the tears out of her eyes. It was more than she expected, and it made her miss him even more. She knew he put in a lot of effort, and it made her want to reward him.


	46. Chapter 46

A/N: Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I love your reviews - they help more than you know. It's greatly appreciated.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was exhausted. All the time. She was finding it harder and harder to get up after her alarm sounded, usually relying on hitting the snooze two or three times. She also wasn't fond of going to the bathroom so much but she realized it was a small price to pay for being pregnant. She'd made an appointment to see the doctor and would be going there first thing this morning instead of the library.

She finally made her way downstairs. Mike was already up, sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, reading the paper. Jenny hoped that meant he wouldn't bother her; she wasn't in the mood. She was grabbing a glass of juice when the doorbell rang. She saw Mike snap to attention as he quickly went to the window and looked outside.

"Some blonde chick. Looks harmless enough."

Jenny smiled. "You say that now. Wait 'til you meet her." Jenny quickly deactivated the alarm and opened the door to Mary, who greeted her friend but stopped suddenly at the sight of one Mike Franks.

Mary looked back at her friend, questioningly.

Mike tried to turn on the charm. "I had no idea you had such pretty lady friends."

Mary shot her charge a look. "Where'd you dig up that fossil?"

A bit insulted, Mike shot back at Jenny. "See if I try being nice again."

Jenny sighed. "This is more fun than I can handle right now. Mary, this is an old friend, Mike. Mike, Mary Shannon. She is the U.S. Marshal I told you about."

Mary looked at her, exasperated. "Does he…"

"Oh I know everything, lady." Mike sat back down, returning to his coffee and paper.

"Gibbs to blame for him? Catherine, what the hell is going on?"

Jenny looked at Mary. "I trust him. Gibbs trusts him. I hope that's enough for you. Please don't be mad." Jenny then looked at the clock and sighed. "Mike, will you answer Mary's questions. I have to get ready."

When Jenny passed Mary, the Marshal reached for her arm, stopping her. "I actually came by to see how you were holding up since Gibbs left."

Jenny ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "About as well as could be expected but having Mike around is actually a nice distraction, so go easy on him."

"Did I just hear a compliment?" asked Mike.

Jenny shook her head, amused, as she went upstairs to change.

"What are you?" inquired Mary. She saw the confused look on his face. "NCIS?"

He nodded. "Retired. She and Probie dig me up when they need help out of a jam."

"Perhaps the fossil comment was uncalled for. If you're helping her, I have no complaints."

Mike looked Mary up and down. "Me either."

Mary made a face before heading for the door. "Don't give me a reason to shoot you, old man."

"It's been real," he yelled as she headed out the door.

Gibbs had another tough day. They'd hit some road blocks on the latest case, and it was pissing him off. He wanted that case over with so he could focus on Jenny's. He must have been doing a horrible job of hiding his frustration because Ziva cornered him in the elevator again, flipping the switch.

"Is this going to be a nightly thing, Ziva?"

"Probably. If you do not pull it together."

He glared at her, his blue eyes ice cold. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ziva took a deep breath; she knew she was risking his wrath but she felt it needed to be done. "You are losing control, Gibbs. You have been yelling at everyone - more than usual, I mean. Now they do not understand, but I… do."

"Really?"

Ziva's voice became soft. "You miss her. You want to be with her, yes?"

He continued to glare at the Israeli, angry that she could see right through him and angry that he was becoming so obvious.

"Why are you still here? You've told us. Go be with her," she said, gently. "We will let you know what we learn."

"I can't just quit my job, Ziver."

"Surely you could take a leave of absence? How much good are you like this?" she said, motioning at him.

"I'll think about it," he said. He hated that Ziva knew the truth but in a way, he was also grateful. She had his back and apparently that was necessary.

Gibbs was tired when he finally made it home that night. He anxiously retrieved the hidden iPad and logged in to his Facebook account. He smiled at the surprise waiting for him. Jenny had uploaded a picture - a side view of her stomach. He went to touch it but when it bounced, the action jolted him a bit. So he simply stared.

He moved on to her note.

_I wanted to reward you for opening up to me in these notes we're sending back and forth. I know it's an effort and I want you to know how much I appreciate it. Your words get me through. Mike and Mary met today. I'm sure you can imagine what fun that was. But it did make me realize I'm grateful he's here, grateful for the distraction. When Mike is bugging me, I can't wallow about how much I miss being in your arms._

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his heart hurting just a bit more. He then continued reading.

_The fatigue has kicked in with a vengeance. I went to my first doctor's appointment this morning. The nurse confirmed what we already knew. But we're official now! They took so much blood I wasn't sure I had any left to function. I have my prenatal vitamins so things are progressing. That's about it on my end. I miss your hair. I miss running my fingers through it as I press my lips against yours. I know. Not fair. Just want to give you a reminder of why you need to come back. Remember… everything._

Gibbs sat back against the chair. He wasn't sure how much more of this he'd be able to take. Ziva was right. He wasn't any good to them now. He was distracted, off his game. He had to make a choice - either stay and commit to being in D.C. to finish things up or leave it for his team and run back to Jenny's waiting arms. It was at that moment he knew what he had to do.


	47. Chapter 47

A/N: Thanks again for the encouragement everyone. Btw, I was reminded by ladybugsmomma that USA is showing ads now for the new season of "In Plain Sight" and I have to admit, after writing Mary in this story, I'm very excited for it to start up again in May.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs felt the weight of the world was off his shoulders now that he had finally made up his mind. He imagined what his return would be like. He'd get out of the taxi and walk towards the house only to have Jenny run out to meet him. She would jump into his arms, wrapping her legs around him - and kiss him with an intensity that would make his hair stand on end. He smiled at the thought and couldn't wait until he made it real.

He walked past Ziva, giving her a nod before he ran up the stairs to Director Vance's office.

"Boss, wait - there's something you should know -"

But Gibbs didn't have time to speak with Tony. He was on a mission of sorts. Tony turned to Ziva, an unasked question in his eyes. Ziva shrugged before smiling inwardly to herself. She was torn. While she was thrilled for her friend, she herself would miss having Gibbs around. He was more than just a boss. Then again, Jenny was more than that as well. Ziva remembered one of their conversations from years ago.

"_So Jenny, why did you say no to a drink with Gerard? He was handsome."_

"_I have been hit on by many handsome men. It's hardly my only criteria," she insisted._

"_What was wrong with the Frenchman?"_

_Jenny got a faraway look in her eyes. "He isn't _him_."_

_Ziva nodded knowingly. "Yes, the mystery man you left behind. Tell me, if he was so fantastic, why leave?"_

"_I shouldn't have. It's that simple. Biggest regret of my life."_

"_Why not find him? Maybe you two could have second chance, yes?"_

_Jenny shook her head. "I don't think I'm the type who gets second chances."_

Ziva remembered the sadness in her partner's eyes. _You had no idea how wrong you were about that, my friend._

Gibbs didn't wait for Leon's assistant to announce him. He barged right in to find the Director facing the window, looking out at the harbor.

"We need to talk," announced Gibbs.

"Yes, we do. You heard about the new case then?"

Gibbs paused a moment. _That must have been what Tony wanted to tell me._ "No. But that doesn't really matter. I want to take a leave of absence."

Leon finally gave his best agent his full attention. "Not a good idea, Gibbs. You have lousy timing. Besides, didn't you just get back from a trip… where was it, Albuquerque? At least I know you flew there. After that is anyone's guess."

Gibbs was trying to hold back his temper. He didn't like the fact that Vance had been snooping in his personal business. "Hardly the point, Director. I've been with this agency a lot of years. I never ask for anything. I _need _this."

"I understand, but I'm not the one you need to convince."

It was at that moment Gibbs realized they weren't alone. He turned around to see the Secretary of the Navy sitting behind him.

"Sir. I didn't realize..."

The official eyed Gibbs before standing up to look at him head-on. "It's not a good time for you to be leaving us, Special Agent Gibbs. We have what looks to be a serial killer on the loose. This is very high profile, and we need our best agent on it."

"With all due respect sir…"

"Usually, when someone begins a sentence like that, the last thing you're actually getting is respect."

"Sir…"

"Director," asked the Secretary, "could you give us the room please?"

Vance was a little put out, considering it was _his_ office. But he knew better than to point this out to his boss.

SecNav fixed his stare at Gibbs, speaking to him very pointedly once they were alone. "Gibbs, I know that you have… a particular history, shall we say… in Albuquerque."

Gibbs froze, his heart racing. If the official had any doubt over his suspicions before, he no longer did.

"Sir, I'm not sure what you think you know, but -"

"Don't bother to deny it. It's written all over your face."

Gibbs swallowed hard. What the hell was happening to him that he was suddenly readable to others.

"Even if this case wasn't in need of your full attention, which I assure you it is, I still wouldn't want you going back there, at least until certain things work themselves out."

Jethro tried not to flinch under the man's glare. But what he was saying was killing him. The Secretary of the Navy wanted him to stay away from Jenny.

He decided to be just as forceful. "Sir, people are counting on me. I don't want to let anyone down because you'd prefer me to stay here."

The man moved a bit closer, wanting to be clear about his point. "I think those 'people' know better than even you do that if _I_ am asking a direct order of you, with the President of the United States' full backing, then you need to stay right here."

Gibbs was getting angry. "You're _ordering_ me not to go?"

"If that's what it takes, then yes. Consider it an order. This is a matter of national security. Nothing can go wrong, do you understand me?"

"But sir -"

"I will be watching. Now get back to work," he said, losing his patience.

Gibbs walked out the door, slamming it behind him. How the hell was he going to tell the woman he loved that he was being ordered to stay away from her?

Jenny got to work and immediately signed on to one of the computers. She couldn't wait to see Jethro's response to her note and picture from the night before.

_I can't take much more of this. It's showing up in my work. Yelling at everyone. Frustrated. Ziva told me to leave. Said I'm not doing anyone any good being so distracted. She's right. My head is with you and the baby. I love you so much. I'm going to ask Leon tomorrow for a leave of absence. _

Jenny screamed and then quickly apologized to everyone around her. She couldn't stop smiling even though tears of relief were streaming down her face. She realized there was more and continued reading.

_And then I'm coming home to you. I hope you can get some time off because I don't want us leaving our bed for a week. Remember… everything._

Jenny felt a million times lighter. She went to her desk and immediately called Mike. "Just wanted to give you a heads up - I heard from Jethro. He's coming back."

Mike smiled. "You don't have to sound quite _so_ happy to get rid of me."

Jenny laughed. "Oh but I am happy, Mike. Hell, I'm on top of the world."


	48. Chapter 48

A/N: Got a couple of new readers - just wanted to welcome you properly and say thanks for the reviews! Thanks so much everyone! Hope this chapter is to your liking.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After leaving SecNav and the Director's office, an angry Gibbs went back to the bullpen.

"Going for coffee. When I get back I'll want an update on the serial killer case."

He glanced at Ziva as he passed her and shook his head.

Tony caught the exchange. "What was that about?"

Ziva sighed. "Nothing good."

"For who?"

She thought about it for a minute. "Any of us," she shared.

Once Gibbs had gotten his coffee, he sat down on a bench outside and called Mike.

"She's still at work, Gunny. Congrats - I hear you won't be in need of my services any longer."

Gibbs sighed. "So she _has_ already seen my note."

"Seen it? I wouldn't be surprised if she's printed it out and framed it. That girl is over the moon. You done good, Probie."

"Damn it!" Gibbs wanted to punch something. He cursed himself for getting Jenny's hopes up before he knew for sure. He just didn't think it would go down like this.

"You're not coming back, are you?" Mike didn't really have to ask the question. He knew the answer. And he was not looking forward to having to be the one to deal with the fallout. "She's going to be crushed."

"Ya think I don't know that, Mike?" He didn't mean to take it out on his friend. He knew he'd put Mike in a horrible situation.

"Maybe it won't be as bad as we think. We both know she can be like steel."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face. "That was before, Mike. She's been through too much this past year. She's… she's lost her protective outer shell, her amour," he said quietly.

"What do you need from me?"

"Can you go to her now? Get her in the car, give her the phone and then tell her to call me? The longer she has to think this is going to happen, the harder it will be."

Mike sighed. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. I should probably warn you about something. Sometimes when she gets upset…"

About 15 minutes later, Jenny was sitting in Mike's car, watching him walk off, smoking a cigarette. She tried to brace herself for what she knew couldn't be good news. She dialed his number.

Jenny heard the phone pick up but there was silence. "Request denied, I take it?" Jenny was an emotional woman, especially with the hormones that were coursing through her thanks to the pregnancy. But they hadn't made her stupid.

"Yeah," Gibbs managed to choke out.

Jenny closed her eyes, tears stinging them as they fell down her face.

"We can add one more name to the list of people who know. SecNav. He ordered me not to see you."

Jenny was outraged. "Are you serious? Who the hell does he think he is? My father?"

For some reason, it made Gibbs almost happy to hear her angry. Anger he could deal with more easily than tears, especially from so far away. "He wants to make sure you're alive to testify. He told me my not visiting was essential to National Security or something like that. And that the person waiting for me would know better than I what a direct order from him means."

"Such a bastard. Yeah, he knows it's me. That wasn't a randomly formulated sentence," she said through clenched teeth.

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "He used that phrasing with me previously, let's just leave it at that."

He knew better than to press it. Jenny was involved in plenty of operations that he wasn't privy to and it didn't surprise him that she could have butted heads with her boss. "It kills me I got your hopes up for nothing."

"It wasn't nothing, Jethro," she said, obviously choked up. "It was huge. You chose me. When it came down to it, you chose to be with _me. _SecNav can't take _that_ away."

Gibbs looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear their conversation. "Close your eyes for me."

"What?"

"Don't argue with me, just do it. Are they closed?"

She felt a little silly but she did as he asked. "Yes."

"OK. I want you to imagine that I'm behind you, your head is against my chest and my arms are wrapped around you, holding you close. Are you doing that?"

She leaned back against the car seat and did exactly as he asked. "Yes."

"So you can feel my arms around you right now?"

"Can you feel me in your arms?"

He didn't expect her to turn it around on him. He answered her honestly. "I'm trying. Hearing your voice does help."

Tears started flowing down her face again. "Same here." She sighed, "I guess we're screwed until I testify. That seems to be all anyone really cares about."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Thanks for the picture, by the way. That was one sexy baseline."

She laughed despite herself. "Don't expect to see much change for a while."

He hated that he needed to get back to work. "Gotta go."

She sighed. "I know. Everything, Jethro."

He swallowed hard. "Everything." Gibbs hung up the phone, his head now in his hands. He felt horrible for letting her down and even worse that Mike was left to pick up the pieces. That should have been _his _job. He should be the one who is there to wipe away her tears, to hold her as she cried.

Mike turned around to head back to the car and became worried when it appeared empty. He swung the passenger door open, expecting to find Jenny on the floor crying - but the car was indeed empty. He felt his pulse starting to race. Probie would never forgive him if he allowed something to happen to the Director. He scanned the parking lot until he noticed a crowd gathering. Mike quickly made his way towards it. He heard her before he saw her.

"I _said_ get your hands off of her."

"F**k you lady. You and what arm -"

Mike watched as Jenny threw the guy against the wall. Several times. And when he then came at her, she elbowed him in the stomach, grabbed his arm and flipped him over, sticking her knee to his groin. The crowd started clapping.

"Still feeling like a big man? Huh?" She let him up but when he came after her again, she threw him against the wall even harder. Several times.

A young man in the crowd turned to Mike and said, 'Do you think we should rescue the guy?"

Mike smirked. "Nah. Better him than me, kid."

The teen gave the older man a strange look.

Mike smiled. "Steel."


	49. Chapter 49

A/N: I apologize for the update being so late but a new chapter was put up of What We've Always Wanted (prequel to A Price to Pay; read that first), by AliyahNCIS this morning and last night I was delayed by Lauren Holly's movie "Scream of the Banshee" premiering on SyFy and another chapter of A Past Reminder, by Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs - if you're not reading both those stories, you totally should! Sorry if you find this chapter lacking. It was definitely rushed. Have 10 minutes now to get ready for a wedding. Oops.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs returned home following a grueling day. After his phone call with Jenny, he returned to find out they'd had a break in the first case. Five hours later, it was solved, clearing their plate to focus solely on the serial killer case. After all the reports had been filed, he told the team to go home, knowing the next several days, if not weeks, were going to be very busy.

He looked at his watch and knew it was just before Jenny would be getting home, so he called Mike.

"How was she?" Gibbs was a bit surprised to hear his mentor laughing.

"I told you, Probie, that woman is steel. She beat the crap out of some bully boyfriend of a kid she knows."

Gibbs was _not_ happy. "Mike, she's pregnant! What the hell were you thinking letting her do that?"

Franks rolled his eyes. "Because I knew she was going to take it out on someone and better that delinquent than yours truly. She was never in danger, trust me. The kid on the other hand…"

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face and sighed. "I guess that's good, right?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, Jethro, but it was hot."

"Mike…." Gibbs said, warning.

Franks laughed. "Just sayin…"

Gibbs smiled, picturing it himself. Then the doorbell rang. "Damn, gotta go, Mike. Thanks."

"Good evening, Jethro."

"Duck. What brings you by?" When Ducky motioned that he wanted to come in, Gibbs opened the door wider, allowing his old friend entry.

"I was hoping we would be able to talk. I've had the feeling lately that you've been avoiding me."

Gibbs sighed. He motioned for the ME to follow him down the steps to the basement. Once there, Jethro poured himself a bourbon in the mason jar he kept on hand. Ducky declined having one of his own. They sat on the waiting couch.

"Jethro, what is going on with you? Something has been off ever since you returned."

Gibbs realized he could have put off the doctor, but perhaps it was time to find out the truth, whatever it might be.

"What can you tell me about Jenny's autopsy?" Gibbs watched the doctor's reaction carefully.

"I… um…"

"Not exactly the answer I was looking for."

Ducky studied Gibbs just as intently. "What answer _are_ you looking for?"

"The truth."

"Why now?"

Gibbs fixed his glare. "Just answer the question."

The doctor was a bit put off my his friend's tone. "To be honest, I wasn't the one who performed it. Her body was taken away a few minutes after you left."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Ducky looked at him quizzically. "You had enough going on. I didn't see the point. What is this about?"

"So you don't already know that she's alive?"

At his advanced age, the doctor thought there was very little left in the world to shock him. This… qualified.

"I… I had no idea."

Gibbs smiled and patted his friend on the back before he stood up, walking over to his workbench for a refill. "That's a relief. I'd have been mad if you'd kept that from me."

So for the next hour, Gibbs read Ducky in on Jenny's case. The doctor never asked if they were back together and Jethro didn't offer up the information. But the good doctor knew.

Jenny arrived at the house, tossing her purse on the coffee table.

"Hey slugger."

Jenny shook her head and laughed. "I'm never going to live that one down, am I?"

"Are you kidding? That's a compliment, in case you missed it."

Jenny laughed. "From you?"

"It's been known to happen. Not often, I'll admit but still…"

Jenny sank down into the couch, exhausted.

"Do me a favor though and don't make a habit of it? Especially considering your current condition." As soon as the words escaped his mouth, Mike regretted it.

Jenny's eyes went wide. "That big mouth! He told you?"

Busted. Mike sighed before heading back to the kitchen to get himself another beer. He walked back over to Jenny, sitting across from her in a chair. "He wanted me to know in case something happened."

Jenny thought about what Mike said. "Fine. I _guess _that's a good reason." She sighed, the wheels turning in her head. "So am I wrong in thinking you kind of owe me one now?"

"You're probably wrong. But what is it?"

"Remember you said Jethro talked about me in Mexico? Make me feel better. I've had a rough day."

Mike rolled his eyes. He stepped into that one. "I guess it couldn't hurt since you two _are_ together now."

Jenny smiled. "Exactly."

"We talked about his quitting and would he ever go back a few times. I wanted to know if there was anything for him back there. Any time we talked about this, your name kept coming up. It got annoying, to tell you the truth. I told him that you were the one who called me up there to help him. So I asked if you two had been hitting the sheets."

Jenny frowned. "Charming."

"Do you want to hear or not?"

Jenny made a motion of zipping her lips and tossing the key.

"That's better. At first he denied it, being a 'gentleman' I guess. But after a few days and a lot of beers, well, let's say, he became better at sharing." He saw Jenny trying to hold in a giggle, so he continued. "He told me about you two being partners back in the day and that you were amazing undercover. Which of course made me ask about under the covers."

"Of course it did," said Jenny, rolling her eyes. When Mike shot her a look, she immediately shut her mouth and motioned for him to notice it was zipped again.

"He admitted that you two had a relationship back then but it was over and for the past year you'd been his boss. I'm sure I made a few more choice comments that I'll leave to your imagination."

Jenny raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.

"He made it sound like you two were over but from the way your name kept coming up in all sorts of conversations, well, it was obvious to me he wasn't done with you yet, no matter what dribble came out of his mouth."

"Thanks, Mike. I think I owe you dinner for that."

After Ducky left, Gibbs got out his iPad and logged into Facebook.

_I know you feel horrible about what you see as letting me down. I hope you know that's not how I see it. Frankly, I think it would be impossible for you to ever let me down. I won't say it didn't make me angry - but my anger is directed at the situation, not you. I'm tired of feeling like a victim. I'm tired of being out of control with my emotions. And I'm tired of having to do what's right for everyone else except me. But that was the situation long before you walked back into my life. My focus has to return to the reality of the situation. We dreamed big there for a while. And we will be able to again, I promise. But for now, I have to concentrate on two things - helping our baby grow big and strong - and nailing that traitor to the wall. You have to do what you have to do. We knew that. If we're going to make it through this, we have to let go of the 'what ifs' and focus on what needs to get done. I know with your support, I can do this. I hope you feel the same. You have mine. You have everything of mine._

Gibbs was amazed. Mike was right…._steel_. But even steel has its limits.


	50. Chapter 50

A/N: For some reason, "To Sir With Love," sung by Natalie Merchant-led 10,000 Maniacs set the mood for me with this one.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It had been a busy couple of weeks for everyone. Gibbs worked day and night on the serial killer case while Jenny and Mike fell into a routine in New Mexico. Jenny was entering the eighth week of pregnancy and while she was experiencing some morning sickness, it hadn't been nearly as bad as she'd heard it could be.

When Mike agreed to come stay with Jenny, he had no idea how long he would be there. As his granddaughter Amira's party approached, Mike knew he couldn't miss it. But he also knew Gibbs would not be pleased if he left Jenny alone, so Mike managed to talk her into going with him. She was nervous about asking Mary, so she decided to employ Rule 18 - she would seek forgiveness later if caught. Besides, Jenny was anxious for a change of scenery. Being on the beach in Mexico was just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Jenny, that is.

Unfortunately, there wasn't any room at Mike's place for her, so Mike insisted they stay at a nearby motel. By the time they made it there, Jenny was exhausted. Mike got their room key and suggested Jenny take a nap while he found them some food. The hotel was very small and from the front desk, Mike was able to point to their room, which was off to the left. He watched her go to it.

Grateful for the chance to nap before the craziness, Jenny put the key in and opened the door. She was startled when she noticed that the room was swathed in candlelight. She closed the door, dropped her stuff and walked deeper into the room.

Back at the front desk, the woman asked Mike if there was anything else he needed.

"I'm simply waiting for it."

The woman looked at him, confused. They soon heard a scream.

Mike smiled. "That was it. Adios, Maria."

Inside the motel room, Jenny screamed when she saw Jethro waiting by the double bed, holding a single red rose for her. She immediately leapt into his arms, wrapping her legs around him, just as he imagined she'd do. He held her tightly against him, his hands supporting her backside.

"I can't believe you're here," she managed, before finding his lips, not allowing him to answer. He helped her down, never breaking their kiss. They both put their hands in the other's hair, the kiss intensifying with every passing second. Finally they broke apart, needing to breathe, needing to look at each other.

Still panting, Jenny's eyes went wide. "Oh no, Mike will be here any second."

Gibbs laughed. "No, he won't. You're all mine for the weekend."

Jenny's smile engulfed her entire face. "That's music to my ears. But is there really a party?"

Gibbs nodded. "That's how we came up with the idea. I'm not disobeying SecNav. I'm not in New Mexico."

"You most certainly are not," concurred Jenny, her eyes drinking him in, her fatigue forgotten. She then whispered, "If I had known I'd be seeing you, I'd have worn something much cuter."

He stepped back to take in the full view of her in jeans, a green blouse and heels. He motioned that she should turn around, which she did gladly. "The view is a sight for these sore eyes. Don't you know you could wear a paper bag and look sexy?"

"Is this a dream?" she asked. He answered her by depositing feathery kisses on her face, making his way down to her neck. He smiled when she started to moan, melting into his touch.

He slowly began to unbutton her blouse. His eyes lit up as he grinned mischievously. "Wow. Oh my…"

Jenny smiled at his surprise. "Hey, marine, my eyes are up here," she teased. "And you'd better close your mouth; you're going to catch flies."

"Any other changes I should know about?"

She helped her blouse off and unbuttoned her jeans. Gibbs knelt down beside her and began to examine her abdomen. He noticed the very beginning of a bump. It certainly wouldn't be noticeable to someone who wasn't intimately familiar with every square inch of her body, but seeing as he was, he could tell. He looked up at her and smiled. "Wow."

He planted several kisses on her bare stomach, gently touching it as she threaded her hands in his hair. He then placed his cheek against her and closed his eyes. Jenny was incredibly moved by the moment and found herself shedding a few tears.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Jethro asked as he stood up to wipe away the offending drops.

"I was just thinking how wrong it is that you aren't around for every moment of this pregnancy. It's so unfair."

He quickly took off his shirt and held her against his bare skin, hoping that would be a bit more comforting. "I know. I'm still hoping that once you testify, we can be together. But in the meantime, we do have right now. I don't want to waste a second of it."

"Me either," she agreed, burying her face in his chest.

He helped her get out of her jeans and she returned the favor as they made their way across the bed. They quickly lost themselves in each other, trying to make up for the weeks of longing.

Finally satiated, he held her in his arms, with Jenny's head resting comfortably on his chest.

"Why can't it always be like this?" she asked, as she made little circles on his chest with her fingers. When she was in his arms, nothing seemed impossible.

He lightly stroked his hand along her spine, grateful to finally be able to touch her as much as he wanted. "It will be soon. We have to be patient, unfortunately."

"Why is it I can be patient on a stakeout but for my own life - forget about it."

He looked at her quizzically. "When were ever patient on a stakeout? Aren't you the same woman who kept trying to distract me in all _sorts_ of ways?"

Jenny smirked at the memory. "Oh right. Not with you. I was patient with Ziva," she laughed. "I was a bit naughty with you," she purred, nipping at him with her teeth.

"Yes, you were," he said, quickly flipping her onto her back, doing his own bit of biting - on her ear - making her squeal.

He settled back, propping his head up with his hand, simply staring at her. "Boy have I missed this."

She turned on her side to stare back at him. "I've missed those eyes." She put her hand in his and brought it to her mouth to kiss. "I've missed these hands and the way they feel running over my body."

He pulled her closer to do just that. "They've missed you too," he said, hoarsely. "Tell me something, did you bring a bikini?"

She saw the twinkle in his eyes and smiled. "I wondered why Mike insisted I bring a bikini - to be around his granddaughter? I thought it was a bit twisted, even for him. A one-piece was far more appropriate. But I brought both."

Gibbs smiled. "To see you in that, I'm willing to let you out of this bed. But only for that," he said, kissing her lips. His eyes glanced at the clock. "Well maybe for food, too. Are you hungry? We could have dinner if you want. I saw a nearby restaurant that had some great seafood."

Jenny suddenly became nauseous. "Uh oh. I don't think that'll work. I don't think your child wants seafood tonight."

He saw the look on her face and immediately leaned over to the nightstand and grabbed some crackers and a bottle of water he had waiting there.

Jenny looked at him with gratitude as she ate a few of the crackers and drank the water. "You thought of everything. You are one great daddy-to-be."

Gibbs smiled. Despite all that was crazy in their lives, this time with the woman he loved made it all worthwhile.


	51. Chapter 51

After a good night's sleep, Jenny was happy to be woken up properly by Jethro. She'd missed their special morning ritual where he'd wake her up and they'd make love again. But that was just one of the many things they had both missed about spending time with each other.

He missed the sound of her voice and the way she knew what he was thinking - how they could speak volumes with just their eyes. She missed his hands and how when his arms were around her, she could finally let her guard down because she knew she was truly safe. And those were simply the obvious things. There were so many little things too.

Gibbs loved the way she had with others, like making the waitress who brought her orange juice feel like she had the most interesting job in the world. Jenny loved the gentle way her tough guy behaved with children – and she couldn't wait to see him with their own child.

They spent the afternoon laying out on the beach, walking hand in hand along the surf and swimming together in the refreshing water. Gibbs never let Jenny get more than a few feet from him and she loved his protectiveness.

But they had avoided talking about things for long enough. Jenny hated to ruin this perfect time together, but she wanted to hear what was going on.

Gibbs sighed. He knew her asking was inevitable. He simply wished he had better news to report. "Ziva has an old undercover contact checking into getting a list of his known associates. Not something that's easy to get, especially if you're trying to fly under the radar."

"Agreed."

"DiNozzo has been solid. He's covering for me this weekend. He's had my back and yours."

She smiled. "You sound proud of him." He nodded, begrudgingly. "You know, you could say something. It would mean the world to him."

"Yeah, but then he'd be even more impossible to be around than he already is."

She laughed. "What about McGee?"

"He and Abby are trying to figure out ways to do the technical stuff they do without getting caught by the Alphabet guys. But it's been hard since we've been snowed under with work because of this serial killer case."

She sighed. "It's a risk to be doing any of this before the trial is over. Maybe we should put this on hold."

"What are you saying? You want us to give up on bringing you home?"

She put her arms around him and held him close. "Not give up; postpone. Once the trial is over, it won't matter how much we dig or where we dig. And once I testify, maybe they will let you take your leave of absence. We'll wait out the rest of the trial together in New Mexico and once it's over, we'll move back to your house."

He wanted to feel like he was doing something. He wanted to be proactive with her protection. But worst of all, he hated when her suggestion to do the opposite of his instincts made perfect sense.

"I'll think about it," was the only thing he could commit to in that moment.

Able to read him, Jenny offered, "I know it goes against your instincts. But if we did anything to jeopardize the case or even worse – put you or the team in danger, you know I'd never be able to live with that."

He nodded. At a loss for what to say, he simply held her in his arms.

That night, Jenny and Gibbs ended up getting a little something to eat nearby. Still quite awake, they grabbed a blanket from their room and headed back to the adjacent beach.

Jenny picked out a spot a reasonable distance from the waves. Jethro sat behind her, holding Jenny in his arms, pleased to find the secluded area deserted. She leaned back against him, content to watch the waves, look at the stars and feel his warm breath against her face.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked, slipping his hand to rest on her stomach protectively.

That simple act brought a huge smile to Jenny's face, as she placed one of her hands on top of his. She maneuvered herself a bit so she could see his face when she turned her head to respond. She reached her other hand up and caressed his face. "I'm perfect," she said, placing a kiss gently on his lips. "This moment is perfect." She then snuggled in closer to him.

He looked around, and once he was suitably convinced that they were indeed alone, he began kissing her neck. "I have an idea how to make it even better."

Jenny smiled. "Really, Jethro? Look at you getting adventurous. I love it." She leaned her head back, allowing him more access to her neck.

"I'll show you adventurous," he said, leaning her backwards against the blanket. He made sure they were completely covered by it before he started kissing her more deeply, running one hand over her body while using the other one for leverage.

Jenny realized she was excited by the danger of being discovered – but she also didn't want that to happen, so she knew they needed to act quickly. She reached for his jeans, unbuttoning them and lowering the zipper. He couldn't help but moan, causing her to quickly shush him between giggles. He took over, freeing her to run her hands through his hair, kissing him deeply. He pushed up her skirt and was about to have his way with her when they heard some teenagers wandering by, laughing.

"Shit." Gibbs was pissed. They looked at each other – as Jenny tried not to laugh at the pained look on Jethro's face. He put his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet, hoping the kids would simply pass by without seeing them. Jenny hid her face in Gibbs' chest, knowing she wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if she made eye contact with any of them.

After they passed by, Jenny grabbed his face, kissing him deeply. He gently pulled her off of him. "Are you kidding me? You want to chance it again?"

Jenny smiled. "Yes," she said, grabbing his hands and putting them where she knew he'd be unable to refuse her.

He groaned, "You don't play fair." But within seconds he was on top of her, making her smile.

A while later, the two laid in each other's arms, listening to the surf and staring in each other's eyes. Jenny ran her fingertips down the side of his face. "Thank you for making this happen. Being with you again, like this, well… it's _everything_."

He was grateful for the full moon, which lit up her face enough so he could lose himself in her emerald eyes. "For me too."

Jenny bit her lower lip. "But do you think SecNav knows?"

He sighed. "Probably. But I don't care. We _needed_ to see each other."

Jenny nodded and then sat up. Gibbs did the same, but became a bit alarmed by the change in her demeanor. She had a look in her eyes he hadn't seen in over a year.

"But, Jethro, we can't do this again. Not until after my part in the trial is over. Then the risk is ours to take but right now, we are risking far more than just my life."

Suddenly he felt like they were back in the Director's office again, with him being chastised by her for overstepping his bounds. "Do you regret doing this?"

Her resolve melted when she heard the pain in his voice. "Never," she said, showering his face with kisses. "Sometimes we need to be a bit selfish and look out for each other. We just can't make it a habit."

He knew she was right. Jenny was always better at keeping the big picture in mind. It's one of the many things that made her such a good director. But for right now, he didn't want to be speaking with Director Shepard. He only wanted Jenny. The woman he wanted to make his wife, the woman who was going to give him the greatest gift imaginable – a new life.


	52. Chapter 52

A/N: Today's song inspiration will be added at the end. Thanks so much for your reviews - you really have no idea how much they motivate me to continue. And my apologies if anyone gets a cavity from this.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was Sunday morning. The last morning Jenny would get to wake up in the arms of the man she loved more than she thought possible. She was surprised to find him still sleeping, but she was happy she got the chance to look at him lying still in front of her. She wanted to memorize every nuance of his rugged face, the way his eyelashes fluttered as he dreamed and the way his mouth twitched ever so slightly, especially when locks of her hair dangled just right to tickle him.

She was surprised that didn't wake him up, so she left feathery kisses on his face. When she left the faintest of them on his lips, he reached his hand behind her head to deepen the kiss. She maneuvered her naked body to lay on top of his, placing her arms on his chest to prop herself up so she could look down on him. "How long have you been awake, you faker?"

He smiled as he ran his hands lightly up and down her body, causing the reaction within her he was hoping for. "I've been awake for an hour. I watched you sleep for a while but then I relaxed for a bit until you so delightfully decided to wake me."

She let her head fall against his chest, listening to his heart beat as her own increased with every gentle touch of his hands, arousing her… senses. She loved the smell of him, wishing she could bottle it to keep with her always.

He enjoyed the soft moans his fingers were able to illicit from her. She loved his hands and the way they felt as they roamed all over her body. Unable to take any more of his teasing, Jenny escalated their passion to the next level, dragging along a very willing Jethro until they were completely spent, wrapped in each other's arms.

"When we're apart, I miss these lips so much," shared Jethro, as he put his mouth to hers. Their lips couldn't get enough of each other so they spent part of the morning simply making out, enjoying the exploration.

Gibbs loved the fact that Jenny was as insatiable in the bedroom as himself. That part of their relationship from the past had thankfully held over and not diminished with time. In fact, if anything, it'd only gotten better. Or maybe they simply had more topics to avoid.

Jenny glanced at the clock. Jethro could tell from the sadness that came over her that their time together was nearing an end. Now spooning, he scooped her closer to him, her back fitting perfectly against his chest, his face next to hers with his chin resting near her neck. His breath felt warm and comforting against her shoulder. He slid his hand over her tiny baby bump as he nuzzled her ear.

"I'd give anything to stay like this," he said, his heart truly breaking at the thought of leaving them.

"I know," she managed, as a few tears started to fall. "I wish we could be married right now. In my heart, you're already my husband."

He smiled, kissing her temple. "I'm more married to you already than I was to any of my exes."

Jenny snorted. "I suppose there's a compliment in there somewhere," she laughed, turning around so she could see his face. Her expression became more serious. "I know you still miss Shannon. I'm just grateful there's enough room in your heart to let me in."

Gibbs sighed. He brushed a lock of her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He hesitated, trying to find the right words. "I will always love Shannon. But you're both very different women. Shannon and I fell in love when we were young and hopeful. It was almost a pure… clean… beautiful kind of love. Young love, he said, almost wistful. His mood then darkened. "I don't know that she'd even recognize me now."

Jenny's eyes welled up, touched by his honesty. She caressed his face.

He took a deep breath. "You came into my life… I was so damaged. If you had known me back then, I doubt you'd have given me a second look. I think you could see my damage and you related to it. Our love is dirty, it's raw, it's intense. It's very complicated…. And adult. Does that make any sense?"

Jenny nodded. She had never thought of it that way but she realized he was probably right. So much about life is timing. "I love you, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. More than I ever thought possible."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "I wish I could marry you right now."

Jenny looked up at him. "Why _don't _we marry each other right here, right now? I will tell you my solemn vow."

While he thought it was a little strange, seeing Jenny's face light up was all the prodding he needed. "I'll go first."

Jenny was beaming. "What is your vow to me?"

He took her hand in his and looked deeply into her eyes. "I vow to love you, not just with my heart but you also have my soul. I vow to do everything in my power to make sure you stay safe because I can't lose you too," he managed, getting choked up.

It was at that moment that Jenny finally understood why it was so important to Jethro that Mike stay with her and the baby. She realized it must be killing him to not be there himself to protect them, mirroring what happened with Shannon and Kelly. It was then that she made her own vow - to herself - that she would never fight him on any security measures he wanted for her.

Gibbs swallowed hard before continuing. "And I vow to be the best husband to you that I can be and the best father to our baby." He knew his eyes were a bit misty but Jen had full-fledged tears in hers. He gently threaded his fingers in her hair, moving her closer so he could kiss them away, ending with rubbing his nose against hers.

Now it was Jenny's turn. "I vow to always love you with my entire being. To be the best wife and mother I can possibly be. I can't vow to never get mad, because I think we both know that's a promise I wouldn't be able to keep," she smiled as he laughed. "But I do promise to _never_ leave you. You're stuck with me."

He reached for Jenny's left hand and kissed her engagement ring. "I'd better be," he smiled. "You're still _everything_. I love you, my wife."

Jenny's smile lit up her entire face. "Yes, _everything_. I love you too, my husband."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: Today's song inspiration was "The Wedding Song" by Paul Stookey.


	53. Chapter 53

A/N: This one was tough. Probably Adele's "Someone Like You" was once again the most help. Thanks again to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs for bringing that awesome song into my life.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny and Gibbs took one last look at their room. He reached for her bag, slung it over his shoulder, along with his own, before reaching for her hand. He felt as forlorn as she looked. He tugged her closer to him, leaned down and kissed her ever so gently on the lips. When he pulled back, he saw that her eyes were still closed for a few more moments, holding on to the feeling. She held his hand, threading her fingers with his, while she opened the door for them to leave.

They were set to meet Mike for lunch before heading back to their respective houses. When they got to the café, Mike was already seated. He took one look at the couple in front of him and shook his head. "You two look like someone stole your puppy."

"Nice to see you too, Mike." Gibbs shook his mentor's hand and then pulled out the chair for Jenny. "How was the party?"

Mike smiled. "She was a little angel, worth everything it took to get here." He eyed them both. "Can you two say the same?"

Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other, unable to contain their smiles.

"Ooooookay, I think that answers _that_ question," Mike said, as he glanced down at the menu.

Jenny took out her glasses and put them on to look at the choices. She glanced over at Gibbs, smiling to herself as he held the menu at different lengths, trying to read it. She reached out her hand to stop him. "Wait."

She spotted what she wanted, removed her glasses and handed them over to him. "You didn't bring yours?"

He shrugged. "I brought my sun glasses. That has to count for something."

Mike shook his head. "You sure you two aren't married already?" He noticed the look between them. "Are we going to share with the class?"

"Burger. I'm getting a burger," announced Gibbs, handing Jenny back her glasses.

Mike growled. "Uh huh."

The waitress came by and took their orders. After she left, Jenny shot Mike a look. He nodded, making her smile.

Their exchange wasn't lost on Gibbs. "What's going on?"

Mike took out an envelope from his jacket pocket. "Better late than never, right Probie?" He handed it to Gibbs. "I think I'll take a little walk. Be back when the food arrives."

Jenny smiled her thanks at Mike before turning her attention back to Jethro.

He looked at her, his eyes wide. "Is this what I think it is?"

She nodded, placing her hand on his. "Just remember, it was written a lifetime ago." She handed him back her glasses.

_Dear Jethro,_

_If you're reading this, it means I died in this shootout I'm about to have. While my life seems littered with regrets, don't ever think dying trying to protect you is one of them. I want you to know that I know you'd do the same for me. That's what partners do. And you were the most significant partner of my life. I should have told you that I was dying. Ducky can fill you in. But worse than that, I should have told you that I never stopped loving you. Thanks to Mike, I know you cared about me too, so please don't have any regrets as far as I'm concerned. I want you to let someone in again. I think it's about time._

_Love,_

_Jenny_

He gently folded the note back into the envelop and put it in his jacket pocket. He then handed her back her glasses before he scrubbed his hand over his face. Finally he looked up at her. "Jesus," he sighed.

He saw the questioning look in her eyes and motioned for her to come closer. She got up and then sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around him, kissing the top of his head. He held her tightly, burying his face in her chest.

Mike walked back in, took one look at them, rolled his eyes and turned around. Jenny looked up and saw him. "Mike, you can come back." But she didn't immediately get off of Gibbs' lap. She took his chin in her hand and looked deep into his eyes. "Are you okay?" He nodded. She tilted his head up so she could kiss his lips before she got up. He patted her ass before she made it back to her chair, eliciting a chuckle out of Mike.

"You _would_ like that," she said.

"I'm not gonna apologize either," he added gruffly.

"Did you see me holding my breath? Don't think so," she twanged.

Gibbs kept looking from one to the other, incredulous. "So is this what life's like back at the house?"

"Jethro," shared Mike, "you have no idea what I go through. This woman's brutal."

Jenny glared at him. "What you go through? We could solve the country's energy problem by harnessing your natural gas."

"Don't start with me, woman."

"Oh my God." Gibbs looked at them both. "You aren't just tolerating each other. You two….you like each other," he said, laughing.

Jenny and Mike looked at Gibbs, then at each other. Jenny signaled Mike, cocking her head towards a laughing Gibbs. Agreeing, Mike head-slapped him.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Ask her. She's in charge."

Jenny smiled innocently.

Gibbs feigned anger at them both. "At least you two have each other to amuse yourselves."

Mike's demeanor turned serious. "Speaking of that, how much longer will my services be needed? Any word on that?"

Gibbs spoke up first. "We're hoping it's only going to be another month and half or so. Is that OK? If it isn't, I'd understand."

"I suppose I could put up with Slugger here for a while longer."

Jenny laughed upon hearing Mike use his new nickname for her in front of Jethro.

"Slugger? Dare I ask?"

"Mike's been calling me that ever since that day I…" she hesitated.

"Hit the bully? Yeah, I know about that. You're not going to pick any more fights, right?"

Jenny glared at Mike. "No one likes a tattletale."

"When did I turn into the principal?" asked Gibbs. Then he mumbled under his breath, "I used to be the bad boy."

Jenny laughed. She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close to her. "You're still my bad boy." She then kissed him.

Mike rolled his eyes. "Thank goodness the food is here. Now break apart you two, enough. You're going to make me lose my appetite."

The three enjoyed their meal, laughing and teasing each other, trying to keep things light. When the time came, Gibbs paid the bill and the three stood up to leave.

Gibbs took Mike aside first. "I really can't thank you enough for taking care of her. I don't know what I'd do if anything…"

Mike nodded. "I know. She'll be okay. You have my word."

Gibbs nodded, trying to keep his emotions in check. Mike passed Jenny as she made her way to Jethro's side.

He looked in her eyes. "I have no idea how to say goodbye to you."

She swallowed hard, taking his face in her hands. "Don't then. Just kiss your wife seven weeks' worth of a kiss and then walk out of here quickly. And know she loves you senseless."

He did as she asked, putting all of his love into that deep kiss, running his thumb along her baby bump. He felt her tears on his face, which only made him hold her more tightly to him. Finally, out of breath, he pulled away and kept walking.

Jenny yelled out to him. "_Everything_, Jethro."

He was already halfway down the walkway when he turned back and mouthed, "_Everything," _back to her. When he saw her smile, he turned back and kept walking.

Mike came up behind Jenny and put a hand on her shoulder. She did her best to hold back the tears, but a few escaped. She looked up at Mike and simply said, "Thank you."


	54. Chapter 54

A/N: This one was "We've Got Tonight," by Bob Seger. "Let's make it last, let's find a way…." As always, thank you so much for your reviews - they help motivate me to keep this going.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny and Mike were exhausted after their long trip back. They made the final turn onto their street and drove up to the house to find Mary sitting on the front steps.

Mike frowned. "And so it begins. You gonna be all right?"

Jenny sighed. "No matter what happens, it was worth it."

"There you go, Slugger. That's the right attitude. Now take a deep breath and go get your ass whipping."

Jenny managed a little smile. She did as Mike said and took a deep breath before stepping out of the car and walking towards Mary. "Hope you haven't been waiting long." Jenny realized it was lame, but she couldn't think of what else to say. She unlocked the front door, turned off the alarm and motioned for Mary and Mike to come inside.

Jenny was a little disturbed by how quiet the U.S. Marshal was being. "Everything okay, Mary?"

"Just peachy. It's not every day that I'm blessed with being ripped a new orifice by the Secretary of the Navy."

Mike and Jenny shared a look, which didn't go unnoticed by Mary. "Oh yeah, Gibbs is going to have a pleasant evening once he lands, no question."

Jenny slumped down onto the couch.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Mary really wanted to know.

"It was my fault," offered Mike. "I had to -"

Mary threw a glare his way. "You really can't think I want to hear from you right now." Mike rolled his eyes and headed for the kitchen to grab a beer.

"What do you want me to say, Mary?"

"I don't want you to say anything - I need you to stop acting stupid, like you want to get yourself killed. How many times have we been over this? We never lose anyone as long as they play by the rules."

Jenny sighed. "I know. It won't happen again."

"And I really didn't appreciate being woken up at 3 a.m. Saturday morning by the Secretary of the Navy asking if you're home. And me, like an idiot, says, 'Of course she is. Where else would she be?' So he tells me to drive over and make sure - and surprise! Guess who isn't home. Damn it, Cat, this wasn't how I wanted to get on his radar."

"I'm sorry, Mary. I really am," offered Jenny. "Do you know what he plans to do to Jethro?"

Mary shot her a look. "Does the Secretary's office have a torture chamber?"

Gibbs stepped off the plane, with his bag slung over his shoulder. He headed towards the exit when he spotted two guys in suits wearing earwigs and dark glasses headed towards him.

"Special Agent Gibbs, you're coming with us."

Jethro stood his ground. "And you are? Let me see badges." He was regretting not stealing Jenny's glasses. "Where is it that you think you're taking me?"

"To the office of the Secretary of the Navy."

Gibbs sighed. _Damn._

It wasn't long before he arrived at SecNav's office. Gibbs was escorted inside and then the two agents turned and left, shutting the door behind them. The man himself was staring out the window. Jethro went to sit down.

"I don't recall giving you permission to sit."

Gibbs stood back up, swallowed hard and fixed his patented glare on his face. The two men remained silent, perhaps seeing which one would break first.

SecNav slowly made his way over to where Gibbs was standing, getting in his personal space. He stood to his right, but Gibbs remained facing forward. "I know you have eye problems, but I didn't realize you were also partially deaf," he yelled.

Gibbs didn't flinch. He kept his face forward, trying to keep his anger controlled. SecNav walked around him until he was standing directly in front of him.

"I hope you enjoyed your little trip to Mexico, because that's the last trip you'll be taking for the foreseeable future - unless you want to not only lose your badge, but your freedom!"

"My freedom, sir?"

"Your antics may have put a federal witness' life in danger, jeopardizing one of the most important court cases we have currently on the docket. I'm sure we could come up with several charges, if need be, to keep you contained."

Considering they had already agreed to stay apart, Gibbs decided it couldn't hurt to give his boss what he wanted. "It won't happen again, sir."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Gibbs? Why the hell would you disobey a direct order?"

"Technically, you said I was not to go to New Mexico, sir. I did not."

He looked Gibbs up and down. "Do I have your word that you'll stay away from her until after she testifies?"

Gibbs finally made eye contact with SecNav. "We've agreed to not see each other but when she comes here to testify, I will be on her protection detail and I will not be leaving her side that entire time, just so we're clear."

The older man did not appreciate being _told _this information, rather than being _asked_. But Gibbs didn't care. He'd had enough of everyone else's rules that were keeping him from Jenny. He'd be damned if he was going to be kept from the woman he loved when her life was most at risk.

"Well that would be up to the U.S. Marshal's office."

Gibbs glared at him. "Good. I'm sure their lead agent expects me to be there. And I want my team backing them up. It's the least she deserves from NCIS, don't you think?"

SecNav took a deep breath, trying to reign in his temper. "Anything you think _you _deserve?"

"When she is through testifying, I want to take that leave of absence I requested."

"For how long?"

Gibbs didn't really want to answer him.

"Special Agent Gibbs, I asked you a question."

"Until the trial is over."

SecNav's eyes went wide. "That could be anywhere from six to 10 months. You can't be serious." He saw the look in Gibbs' eyes. "I'll be damned. You are. Talk to me, Gibbs. What's going on?"

"Do I really have to give reasons, sir?"

The older man relaxed. He motioned for Gibbs to sit down and he sat in the chair next to him. "If I understood what was going on here, I might be more inclined to work with you rather than against you. Keep in mind, I was her boss for a number of years. We clashed occasionally but I respected her a great deal. I don't want to see her life put at any more risk than it already has been."

"Neither do I, sir. I want to do everything in my power to protect her."

SecNav was a bit taken aback by Gibbs' intensity. "How serious has it gotten between you two? Stop looking so uncomfortable. It's not like you can hide it forever. You couldn't even hide this trip."

"But I _am _uncomfortable discussing this with you, sir."

"Are your intentions honorable?"

The faintest hint of a smile crossed Gibbs' face. "You really _do_ see yourself as her father."

"Do I need to get my shotgun?"

Gibbs shook his head. "We're engaged."

SecNav nodded. "You could have saved us all a lot of trouble if you'd just told me that in the first place. Congratulations, by the way. I'm happy for you both."

"Thank you, sir. Do you think -"

"Yes, you can be on her detail and you can have the leave of absence after she testifies."

"Thank you, sir. But I was actually wondering if I could see what information is available about Kort and his people. I want to prepare for after the trial."

"You only want a leave of absence. Does this mean you won't be entering the program, but rather taking her out of it?"

"If at all possible."

"I'll see what I can get you without drawing much attention." SecNav sighed. "But Gibbs, you may be playing with fire."


	55. Chapter 55

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and support - over 450 so far. I'm totally overwhelmed, thank you! Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It had been a week since their trip to Mexico and while Gibbs had the serial killer case to keep him busy, it wasn't enough to keep his mind off Jenny. He found that almost anything could have him flashing back to some moment they shared.

"Oh come on, Zee-vah, tell me what it said," begged Tony.

Ziva threw Tony against the window. "Ask one more time and I will put you through this glass. Capiche?"

"_That's Rule #4, isn't it?"_

"_Rule #1 supersedes all of the others."_

"_Never screw your partner?"_

"_Never screw _over _your partner."_

"_I never screwed you over. And I am not your partner. I'm your boss."_

"Gibbs? Hello?"

"What do you want, McGee?"

"Um, your phone is ringing, Boss."

Jethro glared at him before answering it. "Gibbs."

He listened to the person on the other end and then slammed the phone down. "Gear up. Bastard's struck again."

Jenny was with Mary at their favorite lunch place across from the library.

"Thanks for giving me the chance to try to make things up to you."

"You don't _owe_ me anything, Catherine. I just worry that since Gibbs came back into your life, you've decided it's acceptable to risk your life to see him."

Jenny sighed. "To be honest, I didn't even know he was going to be there. But yes, perhaps taking a trip to Mexico wasn't the brightest move I've ever made. I was going stir crazy, and I didn't think it would be that big a deal to go somewhere with Mike."

"What's with him by the way? Why's he living with you?"

"He's one of Gibbs' closest friends and since he can't be with me, he's asked Mike to baby-sit me."

Mary laughed. "That's what he's doing? Wish my babysitter would have taken me to Mexico. And preferably left me there."

Jenny laughed. "Oh come on, was it that bad growing up with Jinx?" Mary shot her a look. "Oh right, sorry."

"So Gibbs surprised you down there?"

Jenny smiled as the memories flooding over her. "He sure did. I know it was reckless and crazy but it was so worth it. Made me realize again how lucky I am."

Mary rolled her eyes. "Oh you're lucky all right. Lucky you could have had hot, sweetheart Ryan but instead you chose the rude, grumpy, arrogant chauvinist who gets you - _you_ of all people - a babysitter."

Jenny laughed. "Is that how you see things?"

"Can you really argue with anything I just said?"

"Okay, I'll give you what you said about Ryan. And sure, Gibbs can be all those things," laughed Jenny, before turning serious. "But he is so much more. So… much… more. He can be heartbreakingly gentle, unbelievably thoughtful and no one has ever touched my heart the way that man has. He might not play well with you or practically anyone else, but he is amazing to me and those he chooses to let close to him."

Jenny noticed the shock on Mary's face. "Mary, I've dated guys like Ryan. I dated this great guy Todd, for a little while. He was a doctor, Jethro's actually but that's another story. Treated me like gold, adored me. And I wanted to feel something, mostly because Jethro had… well, anyway. The fact was I wanted to feel something, just like with Ryan. But when the real thing comes back, when Jethro walks back through that door, the rest of them simply fade away. He's bigger than life. He's… everything," she said quietly.

Mary sighed. "I know it's hard on you both being apart like this. But I did get word that he's been assigned to your detail when we go back to D.C."

"You're okay with that, right?"

"Unlike you, I don't have a death wish. The last thing I'd ever want to do is be the one standing between you two being together."

Jenny smiled. "You're a smart woman, Mary Shannon."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, rolling her eyes.

It had been a long day and Gibbs was happy to finally be home. He threw his keys aside and took his takeout to the table. He then went to retrieve the iPad, eager to have some contact with Jenny.

He loved looking at the photos again and again that Jenny had uploaded over the last few weeks. Some were of her belly, some were of her wearing a blouse but revealing her growing cleavage. He was especially grateful for those. But he missed seeing her face so much. Often at night he'd find himself staring at the few pictures he still had from back when they were partners. But right now, he wanted to concentrate on what she had to say to him tonight.

_How has your concentration been lately? My mind is still in Mexico, reliving every incredible moment over and over again. When it's not, I'm going through the motions of my life. Mikey is still making me pay for not having Missy stay the entire weekend but rather drop in on him from time to time. Not like I loved that chair anyway. It seems "Slugger" is here to stay. Mike said it was too confusing calling me Cat, the cat Mikey, himself Mike…he didn't know if he was coming or going. So now Mikey is Cat and I'm Slugger. I simply call him Pain in the Ass. Everyone's happy. Well, as happy as we can be without you here. Remember… everything._

"Oh Mike," laughed Gibbs. _Oh Jenny._ He wished he could say her name out loud. He missed saying her name. He missed her. He set about trying to henpeck his way through his own note back to her.

_How has my concentration been? Crap. Unless you mean concentrating on you. In that case, it's excellent. My work? Not so much. Today, Ziva threw Tony against the window. Don't ask me what happened after that because I was lost in a memory - the time you did that to me, right before we left for Quebec with Ducky and the team. In case you couldn't tell (and can't you women always tell?), it took all my willpower after that to not drag you into the elevator conference room and take you right then and there. I really wish I did. I wish I could right now. Remember… everything._

Gibbs exhaled deeply. "Time for a cold shower."


	56. Chapter 56

A/N: Just wanted to thank you guys for your continued support - means a great deal! I'm hoping it won't be too much longer before Jenny returns to testify. Bear with me until then.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was in the eleventh week of pregnancy. And while she could tell she was starting to show, it was still relatively easy to hide. An important doctor's appointment was coming up, and she really wanted to speak with Jethro about it. She was home, watching the news, trying to figure out when the best time to call him would be when something on the television caught her eye.

"It was big news earlier today in Washington, D.C., as federal agents finally caught the serial killer that had been plaguing the Nation's Capital for the past two months."

Jenny quickly pressed pause on her DVR. A smile crept across her entire face as she gazed at the screen, seeing a brief shot of Gibbs with the cuffed perp.

"Hey Mike, get in here. Jethro caught the serial killer. And bring your phone."

"What, no 'please' with that order?"

She took the phone from him as he joined her on the couch.

"What's wrong with the picture?"

She looked at him like he had three heads. "It's on pause."

"Oh."

She hit rewind and showed Mike the story from the beginning.

"Gonna call Probie and congratulate him?"

"Something like that. My friend Ryan and his daughter Missy are bringing over dinner. Can you let them in if I'm still on the phone?"

"Only if they know the password." Jenny shot him a look. "Fine, take away my fun."

Jenny shook her head, already exasperated by Mike and she'd only been home 20 minutes. She took the phone up to her bedroom, shut the door and dialed Jethro.

"Gibbs."

She heard a lot of people making noise in the background and instantly regretted her timing. "I called at a bad time, didn't I?"

His eyes went wide. "One sec." Gibbs immediately made his way out of the bullpen towards the elevator. Once moving, he hit the switch and then sat down. "Is hearing your voice my reward for a job well done?"

She smiled. "Congratulations. Did I interrupt the celebration?"

"Ah, so what. As long as there's liquor, no one cares if I'm there. Is everything okay?"

Jenny sighed.

"Honey, what's going on?"

She was sitting on their bed, her legs curled up underneath her. "The doctor called about my next appointment, which is first thing tomorrow. You and I need to decide what tests we want done."

The doorbell rang.

Mike opened the door to their two guests.

Ryan offered his hand to Mike. "I'm Ryan, this is my daughter Missy."

Mike looked him up and down. "Uh huh. I'm Mike."

Ryan smiled. "Catherine mentioned she had a friend staying with her."

"Dad, I'm going to go find Mikey."

Mike eyed the girl as she started to head upstairs. "Hey, kid, the lady's upstairs on the phone. Keep your search down here."

Missy furrowed her brows at Mike. "Catherine wouldn't care."

Mike shot a look at Ryan.

"Missy, stay down here." He then turned his attention to Mike. "Gibbs?"

Mike nodded.

Ryan made his way to the kitchen, placing the food on the counter. He then started taking down plates and glasses, setting the table.

Mike frowned. "You sure seem at home here. What's your deal?"

Ryan looked at the older man, confused. "What's my deal? Catherine and I are good friends - have been for the past year."

"They used to date," added Missy.

Mike's eyes went wide. "Oh really?"

Ryan sighed. He had a feeling that was a piece of information this man could have done without hearing.

"What kinds of tests are we talking about?"

Jenny swallowed. "She suggested I get the Nuchal scan, which can identify the risk of Down syndrome and other abnormalities."

Gibbs sighed, leaning his head against the back wall. "What do you think?"

"I like the idea of this test instead of the amnio, which carries more of a risk. I mean I could have both, but I'm sort of leaning against the amnio, even though it's more accurate."

"How come?"

"Tell me something, Jethro. If the test revealed our baby does have Down syndrome, would you want to… to terminate?"

"No!" Even Jethro was surprised by the intensity of his reaction.

Relief flooded over Jenny. "Me either. So why take the risk if it wouldn't change what we'd do about it?"

Gibbs scrubbed his hand over his face. "I hate that I'm not there with you during this. Can the test wait until I'm out there?"

"I wish. It's supposed to be done between week 11 and 13-14. I'm scheduled to be in D.C. during week 15 so…" She heard a banging noise. "Are you okay?"

He held his now aching head and sighed. "I don't want you to be alone. Can Mary go with you? Have you told her yet?"

"No, not yet. I'll be okay," she said quietly. "There's something else, Jethro."

He closed his eyes, not sure if he could handle another hit. "What?"

"I might get to hear the heartbeat, if they can find it. Do you want me to try calling you so you can hear too? Or maybe just record it?" She waited a few moments. "Are you still there, Jethro?"

"Yeah," he managed to choke out. "Call me for any and all of it."

She could hear the emotion in his voice. Jenny realized as hard as it was for her to not have him here, it was much harder on Jethro. "I will. I know this sucks but you'll be here for the majority of the pregnancy at least."

"I know, it's just that I hate missing any…"

"I know. Patience, right? Don't think it's either of our strong suits," she acknowledged. "I guess I should let you go."

He closed his eyes and leaned against the back wall. He tried to reveal his heart with his next thought. "Remember… _everything_."

She closed her eyes. "_Everything._" She waited to hear the click of his phone before closing her own.

Gibbs returned to the bullpen after taking a few moments to compose himself.

"Everything okay, Boss?"

"Fine, DiNozzo. Got another belt handy for me?"

"Coming right up." Tony handed his boss a shot and watched him down it the second it was in his hand. Tony exchanged a look with Ziva, and he could tell his partner noticed the change in Gibbs too.

"Good job everyone, I'm going to head home."

"Gibbs, would you like a ride?"

He made a face. "Why would I want that, Ziva? How would I get to work tomorrow?"

"I just mean…"

"I'm fine. I don't want to see anyone in here before 1200 tomorrow; you've earned the morning off," yelled Gibbs as he stepped into the elevator.

Tony and Ziva shared another look, but nothing else was said about the matter. Sometimes even they knew when to leave well enough alone.

Jenny made her way down the stairs and was immediately greeted with a hug from Missy.

"Good to see you, kiddo," Jenny said.

"Catherine, have you been crying?"

While Jenny adored the young girl, she wished she wasn't so damn observant. "I think it's allergies. They were bugging my eyes." She noticed Mike and Ryan talking in the kitchen. "What's going on in there?"

"Your friend Mike's grilling my dad about your past relationship."

"What?" Jenny immediately headed to the kitchen. "What's going on in here?"

Ryan turned his attention to Jenny, clearly annoyed. "Your _father _here was giving me the third degree about our past."

Jenny raised an eyebrow at Mike. "Father?"

Mike shot her a look. "He's kidding. About the dad part at least."

Jenny shook her head. "Mike, if Jethro can be friends with Ryan, I think you can be too."

Mike was incredulous. "They're friends?"

Jenny laughed. "Oh yeah, they had a regular bromance thing happening for a while."

Mike was confused. "What the hell's a bromance?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "I give up. Where's the food?"

Jethro arrived home and went straight for the basement. He took down one of his mason jars and proceeded to pour it full of bourbon. He managed to make a little progress on his boat but far more progress was made on his bottle of bourbon - until he ended up passed out under his boat.


	57. Chapter 57

A/N: Bear with me if some of my medical stuff isn't 100% accurate. I did try though.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs woke up the next morning to a killer headache and someone ringing his doorbell. He got up slowly, making his way upstairs. He checked to see who it was, disarmed his alarm and opened the door.

"Good morning, Jethro."

Gibbs turned around and headed for his coffee machine. "Not sure what's good about it, Duck."

The ME saw his friend cringing. "That wouldn't be a hangover you're nursing, by any chance?"

Gibbs simply glared at him.

"Oh dear, I was afraid of that. I'm guessing from your delightful mood that your drinking had little to do with celebrating the end of the serial killer case."

Gibbs stiffened, still avoiding any eye contact with Ducky. "Just tired."

"Your team is worried about you. Anthony asked if I had any idea what was wrong." _Ah, that got his attention. _"You have no need to worry. I remained silent on the matter."

Gibbs eyed his friend. "Spit it out, Ducky."

"This is about our dear… _Catherine_, isn't it?"

Jethro shrugged him off as he went to get his coffee. "There's been a lot of late nights and a lot of stress with this case."

Ducky walked a bit closer to his friend. "I can't recall the last time I found you hung over because of a case, but over a woman, well… indeed. And few more than her. Don't forget, my friend, that unlike everyone else, I knew you both back then."

"Duck…" Gibbs warned.

"Jethro, when you two get together, it consumes you both in a way I believe it's fair to say never happened with any of your ex-wives. And when something goes wrong, well… I realize you are not a fan of talking, but I'm here if you want or need to get it out."

Gibbs realized it was futile to fight Ducky on his assumptions and frankly he didn't want to anymore. He looked his friend in the eye. "It is pure hell being away from her."

Ducky was relieved that Jethro wasn't denying it any longer. "When will you get to see her again?"

"In about a month. She has to come here to testify. I haven't told anyone but after she testifies, I'm going back with her until the trial is over. SecNav approved a leave of absence for me."

Ducky nodded. "Good. We'll miss you here, but Anthony has held the down the fort in the past. He can do it again. Be good to her, Jethro."

"I'm trying, Duck. I'm trying."

At the doctor's office, Jenny was put in a room. A sonographer came in and set up the equipment.

"Hi, Catherine. My name is Sandy. Will anyone be joining us, your baby's father perhaps?"

Jenny held up her phone. "I'm afraid only via this, if making a phone call isn't prohibited."

"Well, it's not exactly ideal, but I think we can make it work."

Jenny nodded, still a bit nervous.

"The first thing I'm going to do is confirm your baby's gestational age by measuring from crown to rump to see if he's about the size he should be for his age."

"He?"

"Sorry, no, I didn't see anything yet. Just makes it easier to pick a gender rather than calling your baby _it_."

Jenny released some nervous laughter. "Got it."

"OK, looks like we're right on schedule with what we thought."

"Is that good?"

"Not good or bad, just is what it is."

Jenny did her best to relax, but it wasn't easy.

"OK, now I'm going to position the sensor, it's called the transducer, over your abdomen so that your baby's nuchal fold area shows up on the monitor and we can measure the thickness of it on the screen with calipers."

"How quickly will we get the results?"

"You're lucky you're getting this done here. We have the most advanced equipment in the city. I'll get the results right away and will give them to your doctor, who will then explain what they mean to you. You may want to make that call when that happens."

Jenny nodded.

"Catherine, remember that a normal screening result isn't a guarantee that your baby has normal chromosomes. Likewise, an abnormal screening result doesn't mean that your baby has a chromosomal problem — just that he's more likely to have one."

"Sandy, you really know how to put gal's mind at ease."

Sandy laughed. "Sorry, I know this is a lot to take in. Have they taken your blood already?"

"Oh yes, lots of it."

"OK, I'm going to talk with your doctor now. Give her a few minutes, and she'll be in to talk with you."

"Thank you, Sandy." Jenny watched as she left the room. She was trying hard to be brave, but her stomach was tied up in knots. She decided to dial his number.

"You're at the doctor now?"

Jenny smiled. "Guess I'm not the only one a bit anxious."

"It's going to be okay. What's going on?"

"Well, the sonographer administered the test and now I'm waiting for my doctor to come in and tell me the results. I think we're also going to try to hear the baby's heartbeat. But it depends on the baby's position, so we're not supposed to freak out of we can't hear it."

"OK. How are you holding up?"

"Pretty much how you'd expect, I guess. How about you?"

"Ducky was here earlier checking up on me. He knows we're together."

Jenny smiled. "Can't say I'm surprised. He knew in Paris."

"Yeah, but back then he was seeing us interact. Now he's just seeing me."

She sighed. "Are you falling asleep drunk underneath your boat again?"

"Maybe."

"Has your temper been out of control… more than usual I mean?"

"Maybe."

"Well, Jethro…"

"Come on, I'm not that easy to read."

"Maybe you're slipping." She could almost feel his glare through the phone as she smirked. "Remember when Ducky announced we should stop sneaking around, that he knew I hadn't been sleeping in my room."

Gibbs laughed. "If you hadn't reacted, we might have gotten away with it a bit longer."

She smiled at the memories. "We had some spectacular fights back then."

"I didn't know which I liked better, the fights or the incredible sex afterwards."

"We had plenty of both," she said quietly. "Feels almost like another lifetime ago and yet…"

"And yet if I close my eyes, I'm right back there, in your arms."

Jenny blushed as the doctor walked in. "Jethro, the doctor is here. I'm going to put you on speaker - so leave Paris."

Jethro smiled to himself. "I'm with you now."

The doctor looked at Jenny and motioned at the phone. "The dad?" Jenny nodded.

"Hi Catherine, Jethro. Let's check out the Doppler and see if your little one wants us to hear their heartbeat today. First I'm going to apply the gel, so give me a second… There. OK, I don't want you to get discouraged if we don't get it because sometimes that… oh wait," she smiled. "Hear that?"

Jenny's eyes lit up as her smile grew ear-to-ear.

"Oh my God. Is that it? Is that our baby?" Jethro was overwhelmed, his eyes starting to glisten.

"Yes, it is. Very strong heartbeat. About 150. Excellent."

Jenny hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. She finally relaxed, exhilarated by the sound of her baby's heartbeat. This was real. She and Jethro were really going to have a child.

Jenny looked at the doctor. "What about the test?"

The doctor hesitated. "To be honest, the test was on the borderline of normal/abnormal. It could go either way."

The room went silent… except for the baby's heartbeat.


	58. Chapter 58

A/N: Today's song was "I Try" by Macy Gray: "I believe that fate has brought us here and we should be together babe, but we're not." And later in the song, "My world crumbles when you are not near."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Mike was waiting in the car for Jenny, hoping that her doctor's appointment went smoothly because he wasn't sure how much more his friends could handle. He knew better than anyone what toll the separation was having on them. There were many nights when he couldn't sleep, so he would go to the kitchen to grab something to eat only to hear Jenny crying upstairs. He knew Jethro was probably spending his nights passed out under his boat after too much bourbon.

Yesterday, without her knowing, Mike had checked out a book from Jenny's library about pregnancy. He knew he'd never hear the end of it if either found out, but he was bored and well… he did have a heart. If there was something he could do to make things easier, he wanted to try. He was especially fascinated with the idea that music could help the baby and planned on playing a Mozart CD later while they were having dinner. Sure, Jenny would be curious, but she was girly - he figured she'd probably like it.

He saw Jenny exit the building still talking with Jethro on the phone. He could tell from her body language, as she sank against the wall, that there was trouble.

"I thought we agreed - no amnio, Jethro."

Gibbs was exhausted and he still had his hangover. "I know, I know. I was just making sure you still felt that way. Are you sure the not knowing isn't going to make it more stressful for you?"

Jenny wiped away a few tears. "I can handle it. I love this baby so much already. I won't allow anything to harm…" She was getting choked up at the thought. "Anyway, I am choosing to believe our baby is absolutely fine until I'm told otherwise."

"Just one of the many reasons I love you so much."

She leaned her head against the wall. "God, I wish you were here. I've never needed to feel your arms around me more than this instant."

While he loved Jenny with all his heart, he wished she didn't say things like that to him. It made this horrible situation that much more excruciating for him. "We'll get through this, I promise."

"I know. _Everything_."

"_Everything_," he whispered, before hanging up the phone. He sunk down to the ground and held his head in his hands. Why does it have to be so damn hard?

Jenny saw Mike staring at her as he leaned against the car. She tried to pull herself together as she walked over to her side of the vehicle. He intercepted her as she passed. "You okay, Slugger?"

He watched as Jenny's breathing increased and her head slowly began to shake 'no.' Mike could tell she needed to be held and seeing as no one else was around, he decided to step up. If Jenny was shocked, he couldn't tell. She buried her head against his chest and cried as he put his arms around her. He didn't ask any questions. He just held her.

Jenny and Mike never spoke of that moment again. They reverted back to their usual sarcastic selves but there was a new layer there between them - a greater understanding. Mike was realizing more and more why Jenny had held Jethro spellbound for so many years. He appreciated her strength, her humor, her vulnerability and obviously her feminine attributes.

Jenny saw more to Mike than the gruff exterior he liked to show off to the world. She had wondered why he was suddenly playing Mozart around the house, buying healthy food, making her go out on walks with him and even more oddly - reading her the paper at night. Wondered that was, until while cleaning up around the house she found a book on pregnancy. She left the book where she found it, shaking her head in disbelief.

Two weeks had gone by since the doctor's appointment. Jenny was now in her 13th week of pregnancy, so she invited Mary to lunch to tell her the news. Jenny was already seated at their favorite place and waved when she saw Mary arrive.

Mary took her seat. "I'm guessing someone got a boob job or you have some news for me."

Jenny rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Couldn't let me get it out first, could you?"

"You two didn't waste any time."

Jenny couldn't help but smile. "Apparently not."

Mary's expression turned serious. "I wish you guys had waited. Are you going to be up to testifying in two weeks?"

"It's not Malaria, Mary. I think I can manage to testify."

"It doesn't scare you to face him and have him know you're pregnant?"

Jenny was getting pissed. It's not like she expected any less from Mary, but she really didn't need this. "Are you trying to say I screwed up?"

Mary sighed. "No..."

"Should I take it from the fact that you haven't said congratulations that you're wishing I wasn't?"

Mary eyed her charge carefully. "Actually, what you should get from that is that I'm not a touchy feely person and forgot my manners. Congratulations. Where's this anger coming from? I'm just worried."

Jenny sighed. "Maybe I am scared."

"We _will_ protect you. Both of you."

Jenny managed a small smile.

"Catherine… I do know how much this must mean to you both. You were right. I should have said congratulations right away. I know how big a deal this is. Is everything okay?"

Jenny resisted biting her lower lip. "As right as it can be considering I have to go through this without my baby's daddy being here. And that whole trial thing…"

Mary sighed. "That stressed? And I can't even offer you the chance to blow off some steam with a night out drinking."

Jenny smirked. "I do miss my bourbon."

Jethro eyed his glass of bourbon before he sat down to read his latest note from Jenny, or at least he hoped there was a new note from her. They were having a hard time communicating lately. He wanted to hear how things were going but the more she spoke about how much she missed him, the more difficult it was for him and the more he drank. Of course, if she didn't say she missed him, he probably wouldn't handle that well either.

They had tabled the discussion about more tests for the baby. The doctor had told them they could get a more detailed ultrasound at 18 to 20 weeks, so Jenny insisted that all worrying would have to be put off until then. She insisted on concentrating on the miracle this baby was and her steadfast belief that everything would work out the way it was meant to be.

He didn't feel right sharing his deepest fear with her - the fact that nothing in his life ever seemed to work out for the best. _She_ was his only miracle and yet he couldn't even be with her. Jenny thought she needed him to put his arms around her and tell her everything would be okay but in fact it was the other way around. He needed her strength, her assurances, her arms around him - telling him everything would be all right. He knew he could be her rock, but he needed her there in order to make that happen. With her gone, he was being swallowed up by doubt.

He downed his glass of bourbon and opened her note.

_I met with Mary today and told her. She eventually got around to congratulating us. She's just worried, which I understand, I guess. One of the lawyers is flying out to prep me for testifying. Mary will be calling you to coordinate my detail. It's really happening – two more weeks and we'll finally be together! Please hang in there. Abby sounded really worried about you. Are you talking with Ziva or Ducky? If you want to tell them, any of them, about us or about our news, please do. I don't want you to be so alone. I have Mike and now Mary. It would be so much worse without them. Please take care of yourself, Jethro, until I'm there to do it for you. Remember…everything._

He felt horrible for being nervous to open it. Here she was, worried about him and being so caring. He realized she was right. He needed to talk with someone. He grabbed his keys and drove over to Ducky's. The ME wasn't exactly surprised to see him.

"What can I do for you, Jethro?"

"I need to talk with my friend."

Ducky led Gibbs inside to sit on the couch. He would have offered him something to drink, but he had a feeling Jethro just needed to get it out.

Gibbs looked at the older man. "I've been wanting to tell you this but we needed to wait until she was out of the first trimester," he said, smiling.

Ducky's eyes went wide as his face broke out into a huge smile. "This is tremendous news! I could not be happier for you both." He thought back to the last few weeks and Gibbs' self-destructive behavior. "Are you happy with the news?"

Gibbs looked down at the ground. "I want her and our baby so much, but being away from them, not being there to protect them, to be a part of it all… has been its own kind of hell."

Ducky could only imagine and finally Jethro's actions were making sense. "How about I make us a bit of tea and we talk about it."

Jethro looked up at his friend. "Could you make my tea a beer?"

Ducky nodded and went off to the kitchen.

Jethro leaned back against the couch. Jenny was right. He was already feeling a little bit better.


	59. Chapter 59

A/N: OK, this is the last chapter before she heads back to D.C.. Bear with me. We're almost there.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Tomorrow's the big day, Slugger. You packed?"

Being the Type A personality that she was, Jenny had finished packing two days ago, at least the stuff she didn't worry about wrinkling. She looked at herself in the mirror - head-on, sideways and from the back. "Yeah, I'm packed. Mike, can you tell easily that I'm pregnant in this outfit?"

Mike looked at her, wearing a dark blue suit and white blouse, with the jacket unbuttoned. He motioned for her to spin around, which she did slowly. "Don't hit me, but your big challenge are those breasts."

Jenny glared at him, shaking her head. "You just wanted to say breasts."

"Yeah, maybe."

She rolled her eyes as he laughed.

"Okay, seriously. Hold your jacket out straight with your hands, sort of shielding your belly. No, not that much, look casual. Yeah, that should work."

She double checked his suggestion in the mirror, and she was surprised he made a good point. "Thanks."

"Maybe you've opened a new career for me - fashion consultant."

Jenny laughed. "Work on your own look first, or no one will take you seriously."

"Hey," he said, offended. "I'll have you know the ladies like my style."

Jenny looked around the room. "What ladies?"

He scowled. "Fine, be that way after I saved your ass in that outfit."

"There you go, talking about my ass again, Mike," she said, shaking her head.

Gibbs glanced down at his ringing phone.

"Gibbs."

"I've read someone else in on the situation so that he could help you as we discussed."

Gibbs was relieved to finally hear from SecNav. "OK. I'm guessing if you did that, you trust him implicitly. Am I to meet him somewhere or…"

"He should be at your desk momentarily."

Tony shuddered. "Fornell, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see your boss, DiNutso ."

Fornell made eye contact with Gibbs as he hung up the phone.

"Jethro…"

Gibbs walked past him and motioned for the FBI agent to follow.

"Conference room."

The two men walked silently to the elevator. Once inside, Gibbs hit the switch.

"Could have knocked me over with a feather after my briefing with SecNav. When did you find out about the queen's resurrection?"

"When I sat next to her by accident on a plane around three months ago."

Fornell's eyes went wide. "Well that must have been something."

Gibbs chuckled. "You could say that."

"SecNav said she's got everyone but Billy the Kid after her. He gave me this folder and said I should bring it to you and do whatever you need. I think he's giving you custody of me for the next week. My staff is thrilled."

"Oh I bet they are, Tobias."

"So she gets here tomorrow. What do you need from me?"

"Can you meet us at the house? I'm gathering the entire team there after we pick her up at the airport at 1300. Abby and Ducky will already be there and will let you in."

"Let me in? You leave your door unlocked. How hard do you think it is for me to push it open?"

"It's a new era. I have an alarm now."

Fornell narrowed his eyes at Gibbs. "An alarm? If you didn't get one to keep Diane out, why now?"

"It was time."

"If you say so. What do you need me to do now?"

"I'm having my final call with the team on her detail in about 15. Meet back in an hour, and we'll go over this file and see what we can figure out."

Fornell nodded. "I always hated that bastard. Hope she nails him to the wall."

"That is the plan, Tobias," Gibbs said as he exited the elevator.

Jenny was pleased. She sent Mikey off with Ryan and Missy, and they didn't seem the wiser to her pregnancy. Or at least they didn't say anything. She wanted to wait to tell Ryan with Jethro there.

"What about you, Mike? Are you packed?"

"Nah, I'll probably do that about five minutes before I hit the road."

Jenny sat down on the couch and took a deep breath.

"You okay?"

"Just anxious," Jenny admitted. "It feels like I've been waiting forever for this day, and it's finally here."

"Aw, you miss Probie that much?"

She smiled. "Well, I do but I mostly meant about testifying. I've been waiting over a year to do this. And it's almost here."

Mike looked at her. "I know you'll do great."

Jenny turned towards him. "I know you and I have had our moments but honestly Mike, I don't know what I'd have done these last few months without you. I really don't. Thank you for putting your own life on hold to help keep me distracted, take care of me - us - and for becoming someone I consider a good friend."

He smiled. "You know, when I first learned NCIS had a female director…"

"You couldn't stop laughing. Oh I remember."

He laughed. "You are one impressive lady. I can understand why now."

"Wow, Mike. That was… unexpected."

"But more than that, what you've been able to do for my best friend, well… I can't begin to thank you enough. I remember Jethro after Shannon and Kelly were killed," he said quietly, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see that man genuinely happy. And having attended a few of his weddings, well, that opinion never changed."

Jenny smiled. Having met a couple of Jethro's exes, well… she could only agree with that assessment.

"But then I saw you two together in Mexico. He was _happy_. And I know I have you to thank for that, so thank _you_."

"You know I'm going to have to give you a hug for that."

He rolled his eyes, playfully. "If you must."

Jethro and Mary were finishing up their conversation about tomorrow's pickup.

"I'm still not sure I like the idea of her staying at your house rather than at a hotel, Gibbs."

"I want her at the house. It's easier to secure. We've run ops at hotels and it can turn into a nightmare quickly. My house has a state-of-the-art alarm, we set up cameras outside with a monitoring system inside and she and my agents know the house floor plan," he reasoned. Gibbs' voice then became quiet. "This week will be crazy enough, Mary. I want her in her own home."

"If you're truly confident that it can be secured, then fine. We'll do it your way."

"One more thing. No comments about us. My team has not been read in on that side of things."

Mary burst out laughing. Gibbs stared at the phone, annoyed.

Finally Mary calmed down, trying to catch her breath. "You have to be joking. Is your team that brain dead that they won't be able to catch on after seeing you two together for more than five minutes? Come on."

"We can be professional."

"You two have been apart for how long? Almost two months? Yeah, this I've got to see. Fine, they won't find out from _me_. Are we done here?"

Gibbs frowned. "I think so. Get her here safely."

Mary rolled her eyes. "I will."

Before she hung up, Gibbs could hear Mary laughing again and calling out to Marshall that she had something hysterical to tell him. He slammed the phone down. Oh who was he kidding… he knew Mary was right. But it would be fun trying.


	60. Chapter 60

A/N: Now I realize that I often list a song that puts me in the mood to write a particular chapter but this one you REALLY should listen to beforehand so you can imagine it playing in the background of the airport stuff because that is how I envisioned this chapter. It kills me that I can't get the cast together and shoot this, lol. The song is an oldie but goodie - "Vehicle" by The Ides of March. You can find it on YouTube and just listen if you aren't already familiar with it. Since this was already written (thanks for the beta AliyahNCIS!) and some people seemed anxious to see it, I thought why not put this out tonight. Hope you enjoy. And a shout out to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs - she knows why - thanks!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny's plane was about to de-board its passengers. Well, at least two of them - the others were asked to remain in their seats.

The team was in place at various points near the gate. Gibbs was waiting by the exit. Up a ways were Tony and Ziva, with McGee scouting further ahead, watching people. There were also several U.S. Marshals peppered in between them.

Gibbs' heart rate increased when he spotted Mary heading towards him through the narrow walkway connecting the plane to the airport. He spoke into his com. "Package is on the move. Everyone in position." He made eye contact with Mary and nodded.

Then he finally saw Jenny, and she took his breath away. He watched her walk towards him, not taking his eyes off her. "You did it," he said with a glint in his eye.

Jenny smiled knowingly as she slipped into the bullet-proof vest he held out for her. Gibbs may have held on a couple of seconds longer than he needed to, but then he was handing Mary her earwig and equipment. Jenny took out her sunglasses and put them on.

"Let's move," Gibbs barked.

He stayed to Jenny's left, Mary stayed in front and one of Mary's men stayed in the rear and another was on her right.

Tony gasped when he saw Jenny - she looked almost exactly the way she did the last time he saw her. Red hair up in a ponytail, sunglasses on, a crisp dark suit and light-colored blouse. _But something is different_. _Either she was hitting MickeyD's too often or… Whoa, look at that rock. Poor Boss. Maybe that's why he's been in such a foul mood_.

As the group approached Ziva and Tony, the two agents seamlessly took their positions in front of Gibbs but behind Mary, adding to the cocoon around Jenny. This action was repeated as the group approached every agent's location until Jenny was completely surrounded.

Ziva wanted very much to say something to her friend, but she knew there would be time for that later. For her part, Jenny was trying to stay focused but she was very happy to see everyone. She kept a stoic look on her face the entire time, her eyes as alert as they could be wearing dark glasses inside a building.

Soon the group had caught up to Tim and he took the lead in front of Mary, calling to the agents in the next part of the building that they were on their way.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ziva caught someone wearing a backpack beginning to approach the group. She yelled, "Take off," as she quickly tackled the man, causing the rest of the group to double their speed out of there.

Gibbs yelled into his com, "Wilkens, help Ziva, the rest of you stay with the Package and let's get the hell out of here."

Two other agents stayed behind to get the luggage as Gibbs quickly ushered Jenny into the black sedan waiting for them at the exit. The agent who had been waiting with it slipped into the front passenger seat, Gibbs took the driver's seat and Mary slid in the back next to Jenny.

Twenty seconds later, Gibbs peeled out of the airport and headed for his house. He took out his phone and dialed. "Speak to me, Ziva."

"It was just some idiot. He thought she was a movie star because of the dark glasses and all the protection around her. He was trying to get an autograph."

Gibbs sighed, shaking his head. "I want him taken to NCIS anyway by one of the other agents. Get to the house as soon as you can."

He shut the phone and relayed what Ziva had to report. Jenny would have laughed if it hadn't almost given her a heart attack.

"You okay?" Gibbs looked in the rearview mirror, locking eyes with Jenny.

She took a deep breath. "I think so."

"What about Munchkin in there?" His heart felt lighter, seeing her smile and hearing her laugh.

"Munchkin?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I think Munchkin is doing fine."

"Gibbs, keep your eyes on the road." Mary was nervous enough as it was. "And I still say five minutes if you're lucky."

Jenny looked at Mary. "Five minutes for what?"

Gibbs piped up. "That's how long she gives us before everyone guesses we're together." He turned to the agent next to him. "Lips sealed, got it?"

The agent laughed, holding up his hands as if to surrender.

Jenny sank back into her seat, content to stare into the rearview mirror so she could see the gorgeous blue eyes of the man she loved. She knew she should pay attention to the logistics Jethro and Mary were discussing, but she was tired and knew she still had a long day ahead of her. About 20 minutes later, they pulled up to Gibbs' house… _her _house. Gibbs immediately got out of the car. After taking a look around and content with what he saw - or didn't see - he opened up Jenny's door to help her out.

"You want to remind me why we have to act like we're not together?" asked Jenny.

"It's almost a game now. Have to prove Mary wrong."

"As long as there's a legitimate reason, well then," she laughed before putting on her serious face. She stepped in between Jethro and Mary and headed toward the house.

Inside, Abby was bouncing off the walls. "I can't believe she's here. Oh my God."

Fornell stood off to one corner, rolling his eyes at the Goth's enthusiasm.

Ducky put an arm around Abby, trying to steady her. "I'm sure she'll be excited to see you too, Abigail."

Mary entered first, pushing Abby off to the side. "Please stand back. I want to do a quick sweep of the house."

Abby stepped forward. "I swept it for bugs when I got here. It's all set."

Mary looked at the lab tech. "Nice tats and collar. Bold choice."

Abby smiled. "I try."

When Mary headed outside, she saw that another car had pulled up.

Gibbs noticed that she was immediately on guard. "At ease, Mary. That's my team. They must have let Ziva drive back."

Gibbs led Jenny into the house, where she took off her sunglasses. She stood to the side, waiting while Ziva, McGee and Tony made it through the doorway.

Tim nodded when he passed Jenny. "Good to have you back, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Tim," she said.

Ziva passed by Jenny next. "Shalom, my friend." They did a kiss on each cheek and smiled at each other.

Tony paused by Jenny. The two eyed each other. "Death becomes her."

Gibbs glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"You know, Boss - the dark comedy from 1992 staring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis, even though they wanted Kevin Kline, which was pretty obvious since they didn't even bother to retool the script once he dropped out. Oh - sorry."

Jenny smirked. "Missed you too, Tony."

Mary looked at her watch and then shut the door, while Jethro armed the alarm.

"Thank you all for meeting us here and helping out," offered Mary. She looked at her charge. "I think we should start protecting your other name now. So, let me be the first to say - welcome home, Jenny." Everyone chimed in, saying exactly that.

"You have no idea what it means to me to see you all again. You're the best team around and made me proud every day." She then noticed someone in the corner. "Fornell?" she laughed. "Didn't realize you were joining the party."

"Only on loan, Director."

She nodded sadly. "Call me Jenny. That goes for all of you. That title is from another lifetime." Abby raised her hand. Jenny couldn't help but smile. "What is it, Abby?"

"Can I have a hug?"

Jenny laughed. "I'd like that."

Abby ran over and hugged Jenny tightly.

"Make sure she can breathe, Abs," Gibbs added, protectively.

Suddenly Abby jumped back and let out a squeal. "Oh my God. I think your stomach just kicked me."

Tony immediately cringed, wondering if this was how Gibbs was going to learn about Jenny's condition. Ducky was bursting at the seams, while Ziva's eyes lit up as big as her smile.

Jenny's eyes went wide. She searched for Jethro through the sea of agents, holding out her hand to him. He came up behind her and put his hand in hers. She immediately guided it under her blouse, just below her stomach. Both completely forgot that they weren't alone, wrapped up in the joy they were feeling.

"Was that the first time?" he asked, his heart racing.

She looked at him and nodded, smiling. Both of their faces lit up at the same time, having felt the first kicks from their baby. Jethro got down on his knees and held Jenny's bump with both hands. "You waited for Daddy, didn't you?" he said, putting a gentle kiss on her belly.

Fornell's mouth was on the ground. Tony swallowed hard, not believing his own eyes. Tim looked completely confused. And Abby put an arm around both Ducky and Ziva, totally swooning.

Jethro, still in his own world, stood up and took Jenny's face in his hands. "God, I love you."

Jenny melted into his touch. "I love you, too." She wrapped her arms around his neck, threading her fingers into his hair. She then kissed her very special agent with the complete abandon that comes from suffering seven weeks without him.

Mary looked at her watch and laughed. "Please. Didn't even make it five minutes."


	61. Chapter 61

A/N: Thank you Hopesmom for digging my music choice yesterday! I really appreciate the reviews, please keep them coming! I realize a lot peaked with yesterday's chapter but hopefully this won't be too much of a letdown. But they can't all be like yesterday's. ;)

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Yay! Mommy and Daddy are back together!"

Abby's clapping seemed to be the only thing capable of penetrating the passion that had enveloped Jenny and Gibbs.

He broke their fervent kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "Oops."

"It was stupid to even try," whispered Jenny, still out of breath, rubbing her nose against his.

They looked in each other's eyes before turning to face everyone. Gibbs stepped behind Jenny, placing his arms around her waist as she leaned back against his chest.

"Um… surprise?" offered Jenny.

"Ya think?" Fornell was shaking his head in disbelief. "How did I miss this?"

"I think we all missed it," added McGee.

Ziva smirked. "Not me."

"Me either," gloated Ducky.

"I should have been taking bets," groused Tony.

"Speaking of bets - Gibbs, I believe I won this one." Mary was enjoying being right way too much. "And not like it was a little slip and someone caught on… no. You practically swallowed her whole in front of your entire team. Even I didn't see that one coming."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Anyone else?"

Abby raised her hand. "Me! So when did this happen?"

"I wasn't offering to answer questions, Abs."

"Pretty please?"

Jenny laughed as she looked up at Jethro. She figured she would let him lead.

He rolled his eyes. "I will only share three words on the subject. Best. Vacation. Ever," he said, kissing her temple.

Fornell eyed them both suspiciously. "Was this going on when you were director?"

Jenny answered that one immediately. "No. Never."

"But you were together when you were partners in Paris. I think we all figured that much out."

Gibbs glared at Tony. "Getting awfully brave with my private life, aren't you DiNozzo?"

"Private went out the window a few minutes ago, Jethro." Gibbs turned his glare towards Fornell. "So any other surprises you two want to share?"

Jenny took it upon herself to hold up her left hand, wiggling her ring finger. Abby and Ziva ran over to look at it, taking Jenny away from Gibbs so they could hug and congratulate her.

"Did he get down on one knee?" asked Abby.

Jenny was beaming. "He definitely did everything right."

Ziva looked at her friend. "I've never seen you so happy. Mazel tov!"

Gibbs glanced over at Fornell, who was shaking his head, looking like he wanted to laugh.

"Congratulations, Boss. I'm really happy for you both." Gibbs shook Tony's hand.

"Me too," offered McGee.

Ducky looked at Gibbs and nodded as he smiled.

Abby ran over to Gibbs and hugged him. "Well done, Silver Fox." She then whispered in his ear, "I'm so happy for you guys. And I can't wait to meet your little one."

"Me either, Abs."

He grabbed Jenny by the hand and started to leave the room. "OK, I want to get her settled in - the rest of you start working on the game plan. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Settled in? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" heckled Tony.

"Should I time this too?" joked Mary.

Gibbs tried to keep his temper down. "Hey! This is serious. Let's not forget that. Now get to work." He reached for her suitcase with his free hand and headed towards the bedroom. Gibbs opened the door and slipped it inside, but he wouldn't let Jenny in. Instead, he swooped her up into his arms and carried her over the threshold. He shot her his patented glare when she squealed at the surprise.

"You're killing my credibility, Jen."

Sure enough, the gang downstairs heard Jenny and did their best to stifle the laughter out of fear of retribution.

Mary introduced herself to everyone and started the planning meeting.

In the bedroom, Gibbs gently placed Jenny down, never taking his eyes off hers. "I only have a few minutes before I should get back down there."

Jenny immediately began stripping off her clothes and took her hair out of the ponytail. "Then I guess you'd better work fast because you're not leaving this room until I've gotten a proper welcome home."

Gibbs started undoing his belt and unzipped his pants. "Considering I haven't gotten to touch you in seven weeks, I think fast is a forgone conclusion." He leaned her against the wall and began kissing her neck. "One thing though, Jen."

She wanted to respond but she couldn't think with his lips nuzzling her. "What?" was all she could finally manage.

"You're not allowed to moan or scream right now - not my name, not Jesus, not God. Got it?"

She was breathing heavy; the smell of him intoxicating her almost as much as the touch of his hands all over her body. "What about holy shit?"

"Definitely not."

"Damn."

"Not that either."

Tony looked at Mary. "I don't know what's cuter. Her giggling or his trying to shhh her."

"Definitely her giggling," offered Fornell.

Mary looked around. "Is there anyone here currently getting any or are we all living vicariously through the hormonal teenagers?"

McGee shook his head. So did Abby, followed by Ziva.

"I totally could…" Tony saw the looks he was getting. "But yeah, not at the moment."

Fornell looked at everyone. "Any of you ever hear of the term personal boundaries?"

"Says the man who married his friend's ex-wife."

"That'll do, DiNutso."

Ducky looked around the room. "I think I'll refrain from commenting."

Mary looked at him. "Thank you."

Back in the bedroom, Gibbs was zipping his pants back up and tightening his belt. He squatted next to the bed where Jenny was now curled up, wearing one of his old NIS T-shirts and a pair of his boxers. "I promise tonight we will do it right."

"Funny, that didn't feel wrong," she purred, reaching for his collar and pulling him into another kiss. "God, I've missed you."

"Oh you have no idea how much I've missed you. But you will tonight, I promise. And thanks for this. Now maybe I'll be able to concentrate again."

"Anything for the cause." She leaned her head on her hand as she watched him go. "Jethro."

He turned around. "What?"

"I've missed that view."

He laughed, remembering he said the same thing to her when he returned from Mexico to help out Ziva a few years before. He leaned his head against the door jam. "Can't tell you how much better my bed looks with you in it. Now get some rest. I'll let you know when the food arrives."

"_Everything_, Jethro."

He smiled. "_Everything_, Jen."


	62. Chapter 62

A/N: This has been a very weird chapter that has taken several forms. Sorry it's late, but it hasn't been sitting exactly right with me. Hopefully this version works.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

All of the plans for Jenny's security heading to the courthouse, while she would be there and then for her return home had been solidified. Mary and Gibbs signed off on the plan and released many of the agents for the evening, agreeing to return at 0800 tomorrow.

A new group was stationed at various points around the outside perimeter. Inside, it would be two other agents, fresh to the shift, which would allow Gibbs and Mary to sleep.

McGee, Ziva and Tony were to meet them at the courthouse the next morning but everyone decided to stick around for dinner, which Tony and McGee went out to get and bring back - from Jenny's favorite Chinese restaurant.

Gibbs went upstairs to fetch her for dinner. He nodded at the agent outside their bedroom, letting him know he was free to go. He opened the door to find her fast asleep on her side. He loved watching her when she was so peaceful. He squatted down and ran his fingers through her hair. "Hey, beautiful. Wake up. Food's almost here."

"I'm awake. Just resting," she said without opening her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

He laughed. "Got your favorite."

"Orange beef?"

"Uh huh."

"I'm awake." She sat up slowly, stretching out her arms. She threw a leg on either side of Gibbs, trapping him. "Do I have to change?"

"We're eating with the entire team, so it's perfectly up to you." He raked his eyes hungrily over her body. "You look prefect as far as I'm concerned."

"You'd seriously let me sit with all those agents wearing a T-shirt with no bra and your boxers?"

"Damn - good point. But you do look hot."

She smiled. "Can you get me the black yoga pants out of my suitcase?" She then put her bra on under the T-shirt.

"No. You can't go down there like that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to hear you tell me again how your eyes are up there," he said, pointing to them.

Jenny smirked. "That bad? Who knew T-shirts had that affect on you. Fine, can I have one of your sweatshirts?"

He grabbed one out of his drawer and then used it to pull her towards him. "Only T-shirts that have you in them," he said, kissing her.

She put the sweatshirt over her head and then put her hair back up in a ponytail. "Let me get a little makeup on and I'll meet you downstairs." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before she headed for the bathroom.

When Gibbs returned to the others, he saw everyone grabbing at the food, which had just arrived. He noticed Mary standing off to the side, watching everyone, so he joined her. "It's a good team and a good plan."

She nodded. "I'll still be glad when this is over and we head back."

"I know. Me too. Beer?" She nodded. "Beers in the fridge," he yelled out to the group. He grabbed two, handing Mary hers. He then got a glass of water for Jenny and placed it with his beer on the coffee table in front of the couch.

Everyone grabbed their food and drinks and settled either on the couch or on the floor near it. Ducky was the last one in the kitchen, still making his tea when Jenny arrived. She was grateful to have a moment alone with her old friend.

"It's so good to see you again, Jennifer. I dare say, my heart was broken when we thought you were…" He sighed as he gave her a hug.

"It's so good to see you too, Ducky. I really appreciate how wonderful a friend you've been to Jethro. I don't know if he said it but thank you."

"These last couple of months have been very hard on him."

Jenny looked in the other room and saw Jethro staring at her. When their eyes met, he smiled and motioned for her to join him. "I know, which is why your kindness is even more appreciated. I think he would have exploded if he hadn't been able to talk with you."

"Well, you know you're both very special to me. Always have been. And I don't know if you could find someone more excited about your little one outside of the two of you." He saw her struggle to smile and placed his hand on her shoulder, knowingly. "It will work out, Jennifer. You must have faith."

She smiled and nodded. "I do, Ducky, thank you." The two approached the others. "Can anyone join the party?"

Gibbs patted his lap, indicating where he wanted her to sit. She grabbed some chopsticks and her carton of orange beef and did just that. She took a bite of her food and then gave him a bite before reaching into his carton to taste what he had.

Abby watched the exchange and couldn't stop smiling. "You two are so cute together."

Jenny knew that Gibbs probably hated hearing the word 'cute' used to describe him in any regard and quickly changed the subject. "I want to know what's new in everyone's life. Abby, want to go first?"

Gibbs whispered in Jenny's ear. "Very smooth." Jenny elbowed him gently, smiling.

"Well, the nuns and I won the league championship this past year. My average has gone way up."

"Whoa, stop right there," Jenny said. "You know what I want to hear about," she said, smiling wickedly.

Abby laughed. "Right. Well, we…" she motioned to everyone in the room, "have already established you two are the only ones in this room with any kind of sex life."

Jenny coughed up the water she just drank. "You've _all_ established that, huh? Great…"

She shared a look with Gibbs, who simply rolled his eyes. "You _had_ to ask."

Fornell still couldn't get over seeing them together or how happy his friend looked. "Jethro, you-know-who is going to have a heart attack when she learns you two are together _and _expecting."

"Fornell, can you get me video of that because it would really make my day." Jenny smirked.

The FBI agent laughed. "I forgot you had a few run-ins with Diane back in the day."

Tony's curiosity was piqued. "Run-ins with the ex? How interesting."

"Wait, is Diane _your _ex-wife, Fornell?" Mary was trying to get the players straight.

"Mine _and _Jethro's. Though she was his ex before she was mine."

"I tried to warn you," added Gibbs.

"Well isn't that interesting. And you knew her, Jenny?" teased Mary.

"I think we can change the topic again," growled Gibbs.

Jenny grimaced. "Another time, Mary."

"Nooooo, I call foul ball on that one, Jenny. I know I want to hear."

"Do you have death wish, DiNozzo?" Gibbs was getting annoyed.

"I kind of want to hear too, Gibbs," offered Abby.

Ducky sighed. "Oh dear."

"It's not a big deal. Suffice it to say, we weren't fond of each other. And she should be grateful I forgot to bring my SIG with me the night she was wielding that golf club."

Gibbs groaned. He saw the way everyone had suddenly perked up. "Jen…"

She took another bite of her food. "Oops."

"Did you two go at it? I'd have paid to see that."

Jenny shot a look at Tony. She motioned at Gibbs. "Not smart."

Tony looked suitably embarrassed when Gibbs glared at him.

Mary was intrigued. "What happened with the golf club?"

Jenny saw that now she was on the receiving end of one of Gibbs' glares. "Oh come on. Your head is healed," she said playfully, tussling his hair in the spot.

Gibbs whispered in her ear, "You are so paying for this tonight."

Jenny smiled. "Promises, promises…"

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: As some who know me have alluded to in the reviews, I consider Madame Alexandra's trilogy prequel (begins with how Jenny came to work for Gibbs at NCIS up until her return as director) Probie Days, Paris Nights and Russian Twilight to be canon. It just makes so much sense that this was their story. So in my mind I'm working with the same characters from that and that's why if I talk about something from their past, my references are actually from that trilogy. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.


	63. Chapter 63

A/N: Thanks for all of the feedback - it helps more than you know!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny woke up before her alarm. She had hoped her pregnancy hormones would allow her to sleep soundly but apparently anxiety was a stronger force. She looked over at Jethro, who appeared to be sleeping, but knowing him it could be a ruse. She thought back to last night and how despite his threat to make her pay for his embarrassment, he had never been more gentle or loving.

Right now, she was feeling incredibly vulnerable and wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around her. She scooted closer to him, placing her hand over his heart and her head on his chest. Instinctively, he drew his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, threading his fingers through her hair with one hand and gently caressing her back with the other.

"Anything I can do for you, Jen?"

"You're already doing it."

He was grateful he was able to do something for her. He could barely wrap his mind around his own emotions, never mind what she must be going through. "This is the first step to regaining your life. You're going to be great."

"I can't believe this day is finally here. I've been waiting a long time." She propped herself up so she could look at him. "I can't begin to tell you how much easier today is going to be since I have you. Someone was definitely looking out for me when they put you on that plane."

He lost himself in her eyes before he found his voice. "Will you promise me something?"

"Anything."

He turned on his side, pulling her closer to him. "Please just answer the questions as basic as possible. Don't antagonize him. Don't lose your cool."

She saw the urgency in his expression, the genuine fear in his eyes. "I promise."

He felt like he was able to breathe again. He held her close, burying his face in her hair. "I love you so much, Jenny."

She threaded her fingers in his hair, using her face to caress his, trying to find his lips, "I love you…more than I ever thought possible." She found his soft lips, grabbing the lower one in hers before rubbing her nose against his. "Would you be upset if we skipped making love this morning and instead you just held me?"

"I could never be upset just holding you. Come here." He sat up and motioned for her to sit between his legs, facing him. She wrapped her legs and arms around him and he held her tightly against him.

They sat that way, holding each other, for the rest of their time together until the alarm interrupted.

"Thank you, Jethro, for making me feel safe."

He wanted to tell her she _was_ safe, but he knew the words would sound hollow because it was a promise he couldn't make.

He put his hands in her long, wavy hair and tilted her head up so he could find her lips, which he gently kissed. "You're still my everything, Jen."

"You're mine," she said before kissing him and heading off to the shower. She stopped at the bathroom door. "You coming?" She smiled as he reached for her hand.

The drive over almost felt like a presidential motorcade. Jenny was ushered through the courthouse and into a special conference room to wait. When she and Gibbs entered, they were pleasantly surprised to find Abby waiting for them.

"Hey Abs, didn't know you'd be here." He hugged Abby, giving her a quizzical look.

Once she let go of Gibbs, Abby went to hug Jenny. "I thought you could use some moral support. Everyone else has to pay attention because they're guarding you but I can keep you company and distract you and stuff - if you want me to."

"Thanks, Abby. I have no idea how long I'll have to wait here though."

The Goth smiled. "It's okay. I took the day off. I have a ton of them. Maybe a year at this point."

Jenny looked at Jethro and made a motion with her eyes towards Abby. "You should probably…"

He nodded, knowing what was on Jenny's mind.

"Abby, we need to talk." Jethro put his hands on her shoulders.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing like that. When Jen's done testifying, she'll be returning to WITSEC."

Abby looked at Jenny. "No, that's not fair! Won't the danger be over after this? You two need to be together."

Jenny saw the pained look in Gibbs' eyes. "Abs, they want me to wait out the rest of the trial there. They'd prefer I stay in WITSEC forever, but we're going to try to come back once the trial is over."

"We?" The girl looked stricken.

"I'm taking a leave of absence. We'll be back," he said.

"Promise?"

He looked at Jenny. "Abby, it's our intention to come back. But if it something happens and I'm told for her safety we have to do something else, then I'm going to have to do it. I hope you understand."

Abby looked at them both. "I'm going to miss you guys like crazy but I'm really glad you'll be together. Gibbs needs you a lot, Jenny. I do know that."

"I need you too, Abby." He was relieved to see that made her smile. She hugged him tight. "Need to breathe, Abs."

"Sorry. Does everybody know already?"

"Not yet," Gibbs warned. "Ducky does, but that's it. So give me the chance to tell everyone else in my own time, okay?"

She then signed that her lips were sealed. He signed back 'thank you.'

The door opened and Mary walked in with SecNav. Gibbs saw a change come over Jenny; she now had her Director Shepard mask on.

"I'm going to get you some water, Jenny. Catch you guys in a little bit."

"Thank you, Abby." Jenny then turned her attention to SecNav. "Good to see you again, sir."

He looked at her, with Gibbs standing by her side. "Thank you for your service, Jenny. I know it hasn't been easy, but your country appreciates your sacrifice, whether they know to or not. You had a difficult choice to make and we appreciate that you chose to help."

"I had a duty to my country. There was no choice, sir. I'll be glad when it's over though."

"Would you two mind leaving us alone?"

Jenny nodded to Jethro. As they turned to leave, Mary shot Gibbs a look. He smiled, trying to put the U.S. Marshal at ease. He knew Jenny Shepard was truly back and in control.

After they were gone, SecNav focused on Jenny. "I know Gibbs wants to get you out of WITSEC when this is all over. Are you really okay with that?"

"We will have to re-evaluate the circumstances at that time, but if it's at all possible then yes - I want out. My life will be my own to risk again - I won't be putting the Justice Department's case in jeopardy by my decision. I hope you don't have a problem with that."

"Problem? Nah. Once again, I admire your stones, Shepard."

Jenny smiled. "Thank you, sir."

"If everything goes according to your plan, and I do know how your plans always seem to come to fruition, then you and I should have a talk about your future."

Jenny didn't know what she was expecting but she did know _that_ wasn't it. "There's something I should probably tell you, sir. I'm pregnant."

He looked down at her and smiled. "Well that explains a lot." He saw her confusion. "As to why your fiancé saw fit to disregard my direct order not to see you."

She smiled. "He didn't disobey a direct order, per se. He went to Mexico."

"I said unlike him, you would know what a direct order from me means," he said.

"Yes, I got that message. Considering how many times you had to pull the 'direct order' card on me to keep me in line, I knew your point. And we did as you asked. We went seven weeks without seeing each other."

"I appreciate now how hard that must have been. But thank you."

"I believe I'm the one who should be thanking you - for giving him a leave of absence. He wants to be with me through the pregnancy."

"Congratulations. I am very happy for you both. But it doesn't change anything as far as I'm concerned. Call me."

She was about to say something when Gibbs and Mary came through the door. He locked eyes with the woman he loved as Mary motioned for her to come. "It's show time, Jenny."


	64. Chapter 64

A/N: Thanks for your reviews - they make a difference. Special thank you shout out to Kiko on this chapter! And also to AliyahNCIS once again for her beta help!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs watched as former NCIS director Jenny Shepard prepared to enter the courtroom. She took her engagement ring off, switching it to her other hand. She held her chin up high, taking deep breaths. Her protective mask was firmly in place, and she was ready to do her part in putting a lethal bastard away.

She looked at Gibbs and Mary. "Do you have people in place watching his and others' reactions to when they first see me?"

Gibbs nodded. "DiNozzo and Ziva are already inside for just that - so don't look at him. He will try to intimidate you. I've got Nikki analyzing any chatter going through this area and Europe. McGee's monitoring any electronic activity coming from here."

She locked eyes with him. "Sounds like you have it all covered."

Gibbs dusted some lint off her shoulder. "Do your thing and let us worry about the rest."

Mary got the nod from one of the other agents. "Ready?"

Jenny's eyes went cold as she nodded. She followed Mary inside, holding onto her blazer the way Mike suggested. She entered the witness box.

"State your name for the record."

"Jenny Shepard."

After a couple of hours, the court recessed for lunch. Mary and Gibbs silently escorted Jenny back to the conference room where Abby was waiting with lunch.

Abby noticed their serious expressions. "How did it go?"

Jenny shook her head. "I have no idea. I answered what was asked of me. Mary? Jethro?"

Mary shrugged. "To be honest, I was watching the crowd. That guy was a blank wall as far as I could tell. Not sure what the jury was thinking. Personally, I have no idea why he isn't before a military tribunal but that's just me."

Jenny looked at Gibbs. "What about you?"

"You did great." He could see her entire body release the tension as she sought out his arms to hold her. He kissed the top of her head before guiding her towards Abby. "Come on, you need some food."

He took one of the salads and a half sandwich and gave it to Jenny before grabbing his own sandwich. Mary and Abby did the same.

Abby looked at Jenny and could see how the stress had taken a toll on her already. "Are you almost done?"

"I wish. We're just getting started. And then I have to deal with cross. The fun refuses to stop."

Gibbs went to stand behind Jenny and slowly started massaging her shoulders and neck.

She put her food down and melted into his touch. "You always know exactly what I need. How do you do that?"

Abby smiled. "He's just Gibbs. King of anticipate."

Gibbs continued to work on Jenny's knots. "King. I like that."

"You would," teased Mary.

Jenny tapped his hands. "Thank you. Come sit and eat while you can." She turned her attention to Mary. "I hope we didn't bore you too much last night. I know it was probably hard to follow a lot of the conversations - the team's worked together for a long time."

"I think they're a riot. They obviously care about you both. It was interesting to see this side of your life. It's one thing to read a file - it's another to see you in action."

"Our director kicks ass," smiled Abby. "Former director, sorry. So what's Jenny like back where you guys live?"

Mary and Jenny locked eyes. Jenny sighed and turned to Abby. "It's been a challenging year, Abby. I had to walk away from all of you, my house, my job, my name."

Abby swallowed hard, deeply affected by her words. "I… I didn't even think about that aspect of it. Wow." She looked at Gibbs, who had put his hand over Jenny's. "It must have been intense running into each other again."

Jenny managed to smile, threading her fingers with Jethro's. "You have no idea. He truly saved my life."

"You have that backwards, Jen."

Mary shook her head. "I still don't get how you two worked together for three years and nothing happened?"

"Well, there _is_ Rule 12," offered Abby. "Never date a co-worker."

Mary looked at them. "Rule 12 of what book?"

Jenny and Abby pointed at Gibbs.

"My book," he said. "I live by a set of rules, and it's my job to teach them to my team."

Mary narrowed her eyes at Gibbs. "So, if you two were involved when you were partners, did you break Rule 12 or was Rule 12 written because you two were together and broke up?"

Jenny looked at Gibbs and smirked, who in turn glared at Mary.

"It still amuses me that you think I fear your glare."

Abby looked at Mary with shock. "You _must_ respect the glare. The glare turns mere mortals into dust."

McGee burst into the room. "Boss, I have to show you something."

"Don't leave her side," he barked at Mary. "I'll send someone else in here on my way out." He squeezed Jenny's shoulder as he headed out the door.

McGee looked at Abby. "Can you come too?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Abby was trying to calm Jenny's nerves before heading out with them.

The door opened and in walked Tony, trying to be flirty and disarming. "Hey ladies…"

"What's going on out there, Tony?" Jenny was not in the mood.

He turned serious. "McGee thinks he caught a message going out that looked… questionable. Don't worry. He, Gibbs and Ziva are all over it. I, on the other hand, plan to be all over that sandwich. Can I have it?"

Jenny stood up and started pacing.

"Sit down, Jenny. Eat. They'll take care of it," insisted Mary. She looked at the door and noticed two of her agents enter and stay by the door. She turned back to the table and saw that Jenny had noticed too. "He's just being cautious."

Jenny nodded. "I know." But the stress was apparent on her face.

"He won't let anything happen to you, Jenny. Unlike me."

Jenny sighed. "You did no such thing, Tony. I hope you know how badly I feel about how it all went down in California."

"You feel bad? I'm the one who let you down. Ziva knew something was wrong and wanted to find you and I just wanted to enjoy a day off."

Mary kept an eye on the door but she was definitely intrigued by their conversation.

"Tony, I gave you a direct order, and you followed it. You did nothing wrong. I needed things to go down the way they did. You showed me respect by following the order. Don't second guess that."

"I thought I got you killed."

"You didn't. And you know or at least you should know how much respect I have for you as an agent."

Mary stood up and put her hand on her gun. "Something's going down."

Tony immediately put himself between Jenny and the door.

Jenny put her hand over the baby in an attempt to comfort her little one, when it was really to calm her down. After a few tense minutes, Gibbs entered the room and motioned for Tony to take off. "See Ziva."

Tony nodded. He turned back to his former director for a moment. "Thanks Jenny."

"Thank _you_, Tony." She immediately stood up and went to Gibbs. "What happened?"

He scrubbed his hand down his face. "McGee caught an email being sent with some key word thing he set up. I don't understand it. But we tracked the sender, and now Ziva and Tony will be taking him back to NCIS to question him. I sent Abby back too; she'll go through his laptop."

Jenny nodded, worry etched on her face. Gibbs immediately took her in his arms and held her tight. "It's under control."

Jenny sighed. "For now." She closed her eyes, determined to block out the world - except for the man whose arms provided her only sanctuary.


	65. Chapter 65

A/N: I'm putting this up now because this website has been down so much today, I fear it will be down again when I try in the morning. This chapter was helped by Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The rest of the day in court proceeded uneventfully; at least that's what Gibbs thought. Extra precautions were taken for the drive back home. The team had split up, trying to misdirect people if anyone followed.

As agents began arriving, Gibbs noticed that Jenny looked particularly stressed. He took her aside. "You okay?" The look on her face made his gut twist. "Honey, what's going on? You're scaring me."

She looked around, unable to stand still. "We need to talk. Privately. Is that even possible?"

Gibbs grabbed Mary's arm as she passed by. "We're going to be in my basement. Not to be disturbed."

Mary could tell by the look on his face that this was serious. She nodded.

He place his hand on the small of Jenny's back and led her to the stairs. He shut the door behind them and then walked with her slowly down each step. He then guided her to the couch, where they both sat.

She looked straight ahead while he looked at her. They sat that way for a few minutes. He knew better than to push.

She took a deep breath. "There's something I have to tell you, and it's something I had hoped you'd never have to know. But I got slipped this note during the bustle of court adjourning," she said, holding up a slip of paper.

He went to take it from her when she crumbled it up instead. All emotion was gone from her face. He couldn't tell if she was angry or in shock. He just knew whatever was going on had thrown her off balance.

"What'd it say?"

"It was a warning that this would come out during cross tomorrow, and I couldn't have you find out that way. I think he wanted to scare me from testifying. Not sure why he thought it would stop me. It just… it just upsets me on so many levels that this has to come out."

Gibbs swallowed hard. "Something damaging to you?"

She snorted. "Me? Well, I guess. But that I could handle. That I'm used to."

"Then who? You can tell me anything. It won't change how I feel about you."

She finally turned to look at him. "I trust you, Jethro. I…" she sighed. "I don't really worry that you'll think less of me. You know so much already - hell, you probably already considered this possibility, knowing you."

He looked at her, confused. "Then what is it you're so afraid to tell me?"

She took his hand in hers, examining his fingers… holding them to her lips. "It's not the 'what' that I'm afraid to tell you. It's the 'why' that makes it so much worse. Or at least it will in your eyes, I think."

"Just say it, Jen."

"You never got the chance to meet my father but he was my hero. He was the guy who would save the world and make it a better place, because his work was that important. _He_ was that important."

Jethro watched her as she spoke, trying to figure out where she was going with her story - and wanting to make her feel safe enough to continue. He squeezed her hand.

"I always wanted to know about his work. And when he started confiding in me, it was heady. I couldn't have felt more on top of the world. Until the day he actually sought my help. He told me I was the only one he could trust to help him with his biggest project yet. I felt… so honored."

The wheels in Gibbs' head started turning, and he wasn't happy with what he was thinking.

"I don't want you to judge him, Jethro. I don't want everyone out there judging him for the choices he made. It's not fair. He's not around to defend himself."

Jethro swallowed hard, his heart rate quickening. He stared at her, willing her to look at him but she wouldn't. "What did he ask of you, Jen?"

"To seduce Rene Benoit."

The Frog. Jethro had a million thoughts going through his head but he didn't get the chance to voice any of them because of the commotion happening upstairs.

Mary threw open the door and yelled down. "Gibbs, are you armed?"

He quickly put his hand to his holster to make sure. "Yeah, what's happening?"

"Looks like we've got company. Everyone is on it up here - stay down there and cover her. Do _not_ come out until the 'all clear' sign is given." Mary then shut the door.

Gibbs immediately grabbed Jenny's hand and led her under the stairs. He quickly grabbed the cushions from the couch and set them up around Jenny before joining her, holding her close.

Upstairs, agents scrambled to the roof. McGee and Mary were watching the monitors for the cameras set up outside.

Mary prepped the agents inside. "Looks like we have three cars approaching, can't tell the number of hostiles in each. Where's Special Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony came in from the other room. "On your six, Mary. Ziva, get by the window. Tim, the other side. How many do we have on the roof?"

Mary spoke into her com. "Wilkens, who's up there with you?"

"Rollins and Mitchell are in position. Looks like each car has about four hostiles, all carrying multiple weapons."

Mary looked at Tony. "Can you get the cavalry here?"

Tony looked around. "Fornell?"

"Already called it in," he offered, falling back to take a position by the basement door.

Downstairs, Gibbs held Jenny in his arms as the shooting started. She looked up at him. "Why the hell aren't we up there helping?"

Jethro whispered in her ear. "Because we have a great team upstairs who can handle it." He placed his hand over her lower stomach. "No more firefights for you." It was killing him though. Part of him wanted to tear into these guys threatening Jenny himself. But he knew where he belonged.

The shooting happened very fast. The agents on the roof had taken out about half the hostiles. Ziva got several from one car, with Tony and McGee getting one each. Most of the assassins had been taken care of but one slipped through and now had Tony in his grasp, holding a gun to his head.

"Where is she? Tell me, or he dies."

Ziva was in the doorway, pointing her gun at the man. She tried talking to distract him.

"You need to drop your weapon. You have no back up. They are all dead."

As Ziva talked with the man, Mary locked eyes with Tony. She pointed her eyes down, trying to signal him. He understood her meaning and quickly made his legs fall out below him, tumbling to the ground. As he fell, out of the reach of the gunman, Mary put a bullet right between the assassin's eyes while Ziva fired three rounds into his chest.

Everyone's hearts were racing, looking around, checking injuries and making sure there weren't any more gunmen around.

Mary spoke into her com. "Wilkens, talk to me. Wilkens?"

"It's Rollins. Wilkens is dead. I'm… I'm shot in the shoulder. I think Mitchell fell over the side, if someone could go check on him."

"I see him," yelled Ziva. "Looks like he has a broken leg. Someone call 911."

They heard police sirens approaching.

Fornell rolled his eyes. "Great. Just in time."

Mary went out to check on her men, but motioned to Fornell to update Gibbs and Jenny. He went down the stairs.

"It's just me, so don't shoot Gibbs. Consider yourself having gotten the 'all clear' sign."

Gibbs met Fornell at the bottom of the stairs. "What the hell happened?" His anger was apparent.

"We thwarted a hit squad. Mary and DiNutso were all over it."

Jenny joined them. "Were there any causalities?"

Fornell looked at Gibbs.

Jenny was getting angry. "Don't look at him for permission. Tell me, damn it."

"One of the Marshals was killed, Wilkens. And Rollins was shot in the shoulder. Not sure what Mitchell's injuries were."

Gibbs could see that Jenny was starting to lose it and he motioned for Fornell to go back upstairs. Gibbs went to put his arms around Jenny, but she pushed him away violently.

"Don't! Just… leave me alone for a minute."

"It's not your fault."

Jenny's eyes flared. "Not my fault? Want to tell me exactly who's damn fault this is because it sure as hell feels like it's _my _fault."

"No, it isn't," he yelled. "It's Kort's fault. Remember that!"

"A perfectly good man will not be going home tonight to his two kids because his job was to protect me!"

He grabbed her by the shoulders. "That's right - his _job_! This comes with the job, Jenny! You know that better than anyone."

She calmed down, her eyes trying to hold back the tears. "Did you know he had two kids, Jethro? He was telling me last night how proud he was of his twin boys, John and Aaron," she said, suddenly stopping, completely overwhelmed by the thoughts running through her head. "His… twin… boys," she said as she sunk to the ground, feeling her own baby inside her.

Mary came down the stairs. She saw Jenny on the floor, crying, and Gibbs standing next to her, looking helpless. "Guys, we have to get out of here. It's no longer safe."

Jenny was out of breath, her chest heaving. She looked up at them both, her cheeks streaked with tears. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."


	66. Chapter 66

A/N: This website was such a pain yesterday. Thank you to everyone who kept trying to come back and review – it's very much appreciated! This is a long one, but I didn't feel like breaking it up into two chapters. The mood for today's scene was set by "Love Is" by Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight, a very haunting yet beautiful song.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Mary closed her eyes and turned around. It pained her to see her friend like this.

Jenny's words ripped at Gibbs' heart. He knelt down beside Jenny and whispered in her ear, "You will get through this. Lean on me." When she didn't react, he became nervous and for the first time found himself missing Mikey. Determined to reach her, he slipped his hand over her stomach. "Draw on _our_ strength."

She turned to look at him, seeing his blue eyes trying desperately to reach her. Slowly she nodded her head. "What now?"

He sighed, grateful to have her back. He helped her up, holding her close. "Let's get our stuff."

Mary turned back to face them. "What hotel?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Only one place I'm willing to take her now."

They made their way up the stairs and then through the mess. Jenny surveyed the damage, her heart heavy for all everyone had been through. She felt horrible for Jethro too. The damage done to the house made her sick to her stomach.

Gibbs left Ziva and McGee to process the crime scene, with orders to ID as many of the dead as possible and then run their financials. He didn't think they'd be able to tie it to Kort, but he felt every effort should be made.

Jenny wanted to speak with those gathered, but she was feeling empty inside and unsure what she could say that would do any good. Instead, she followed Gibbs, Mary and Tony to the car silently.

Tony was driving, with Mary in the front passenger seat and Gibbs and Jenny in the back. Tony glanced at Mary. "I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life. That was some kill shot you delivered."

Jenny became alarmed. "What happened to you, Tony?"

Both Mary and Gibbs were pissed at Tony for saying anything, but it was too late now.

"One of the shooters got the drop on me. Tried to use me as a hostage to get to you. Mary signaled me while Ziva distracted him. I took a fall, and Mary got him between the eyes. Ziva followed with three rounds to the chest."

Jenny dropped her head into her hands. "Oh God. Tony, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay. I can get a new pair of pants."

Mary shook her head, amused.

Jethro pulled Jenny closer to him, as if that was even possible. She took a handful of his shirt and held on tight, burying her face in his shoulder.

Tony and Mary exchanged worried looks as they arrived at their destination. It was late in the evening as they entered the structure. It appeared to be empty, the lights down low.

As Jenny stepped off the elevator, memories started flooding over her. When they passed the glass window, she recalled teasing Gibbs with Stephanie and Hollis Mann looking on. At Tony's desk, she remembered looking at the picture Jethro left for her from Serbia. Passing McGee's desk, it summoned up the look of shock on his face when she handed him the warrant he'd been trying to get. A glance at Jethro's cube reminded her of the time she sat there, listening to the team only to have him steal them away to make a silly point.

Exhausted, Jenny turned to Jethro. "Can we take the elevator?"

He nodded, motioning for Tony and Mary to take the stairs. Inside the elevator, Gibbs was surprised when Jenny flipped the switch.

She turned to face him, swallowing hard. "I never thought I would step foot in this building again. I have all these memories over every square inch, but there's one memory I always wanted, fantasized about… wished for but figured could never happen."

He looked at her and was surprised to see desire in her eyes. While her mood swings lately disturbed him for the most part, this one was welcomed. She backed up against the wall and reached for his collar to bring him closer. He leaned down to kiss her passionately, threading his fingers in her hair. She savored everything about the moment - the way he tasted, smelled and the feel of his body against hers.

When she finally pulled away, out of breath, she held him close and whispered in his ear. "Thank you for making my fantasy come true. I can't tell you how many times I wanted you to do that to me in here."

Mary and Tony were waiting by the elevator. Mary shot him a look. "How long do your damn elevators take?"

Tony shrugged. "I think it made a stop at the conference room."

She looked at him, incredulous. "It's _one _floor."

Tony raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, well… there you go."

Mary was about to say something else when the elevator door finally opened.

Tony took one look at them and couldn't resist commenting. "Mary thinks we have the slowest elevators she's ever seen."

Gibbs took one look at his smirk and head-slapped him.

Mary wasn't pleased. "What was _that_ for?"

Gibbs growled. "He knows."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Jenny shot Mary a "don't ask" look as they approached MTAC. Gibbs lined up his eyes for the retinal scan, opening the door. He was surprised to find Leon Vance inside - almost as surprised as Vance was to see them.

"Can I have the room – on second thought, you might as well shut down for the night." He waited until the techs had left before continuing. "So the rumors are true. Nice to see you alive, Jenny, but what are you doing _in here_?" he asked, looking directly at Gibbs.

"You haven't heard? There are about 12 dead assassins at my house right now."

Leon's eyes went wide. "Any of ours hurt?"

Mary looked at Vance. "None of yours, one of mine plus some injuries."

Jenny saw his confusion. "NCIS Director Leon Vance, this is the U.S. Marshal in charge of my detail, Mary Shannon."

He shook her hand. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, sir."

"But that still doesn't explain why the four of you are standing here in MTAC."

Gibbs wasn't sure if Leon was being obtuse on purpose or if he was just slow. "She needs to be somewhere safe."

Vance took out a toothpick and started chewing it. Jenny was sure he did that simply to annoy her.

"I suppose she can stay here. But I'll need you out by 0700. I have an early morning op to run."

Gibbs looked annoyed but agreed. He watched as Leon nodded at Jenny and then left the room.

"Always was a pompous ass."

Jenny's unexpected outburst brought a smile to those around her.

"Boss, what do you need from me?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. "DiNozzo, after Jenny's done testifying, she's returning to WITSEC. I'm taking a leave of absence and going with her until the trial is over. It's your team now."

Tony's eyes went wide. "But you're coming back eventually, right?"

"That's our hope."

Tony sighed. "I'll keep your seat warm."

Gibbs nodded. "Appreciate it."

"Is there anything you need from me tonight?"

Gibbs looked around. "See if you can find anything for her to sleep on."

"Us. You need to sleep too," insisted Jenny.

Gibbs gave in. "Whatever you can find. Maybe Abby has something?"

Jenny held up her hand. "Wait a second." She wandered over to a closet towards the back. "There were many nights that I stayed here late or overnight and I used to store… aha!"

She pointed to a stash of blankets and pillows. Gibbs went over to where she was and grabbed the bedding.

He looked at Tony. "This should be fine. Tony, if you could take Mary to a hotel and come back here in the morning or we could meet you two at the courthouse."

"I'll pick you up in the morning," insisted Mary. "Right now, I'd like to go to Wilkens' home so I could deliver the news in person."

Gibbs nodded to Tony. "He'll take you."

After they left, Gibbs took a seat and motioned for Jenny to sit on his lap, which she did. He put one arm around her, resting his hand on her stomach and held her hand with his free one. She put her other hand around his shoulder, running her nails along the base of his neck and into his hair.

Jenny shook her head. "This day went from bad to worse. I'd say I can't wait for it to be over, but God only knows what's in store for us tomorrow."

"A couple of hours ago, it sounded like you had an idea."

"Right," she sighed. "You never got to react."

He stayed quiet while he thought about the best way to express his thoughts on what she told him. "I did wonder if that's why you were obsessed with him. Your father though? To be honest, that blows me away."

"Jethro, don't think less of him. I understood what was at stake. I wanted to help."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Tell me something, Jenny. Suppose we have a little girl. You'd be okay if in say… 25 years, I asked her to seduce Trent Kort so I could get the goods on him?"

He felt her tense up, her breathing quicken and saw her eyes flare with anger.

"No, I wouldn't," she answered, tersely.

"How is this different?"

She stood up and started pacing, trying to find an answer in her head that didn't sound incredibly lame. She whipped her head around to look at him and saw his eyebrows raised. "Don't start, Jethro."

"You can't come up with an answer, can you?"

She bit her lower lip, furious with herself and with Kort that this had to come out at all.

Gibbs stood up and walked over to her. He tried to control his growing anger. "I know you loved your father. But I love _you_. And I'm not going to pretend or apologize that the thought of the Frog's hands touching any part of you doesn't send me into a homicidal rage," he yelled, grabbing her shoulders. He looked at her, his blue eyes looking intensely into her emerald ones as he whispered, "It makes me want to touch, to kiss every part of you just to make sure there is no spot that was last touched by him."

She softened, caressing his face. "Trust me, Jethro - you accomplished that a long time ago."

He smiled arrogantly, rather proud of himself. "Doesn't mean I don't want to do it again."

She squeezed his hand before going to sit down again. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, stressed by the situation.

Gibbs looked at her. "Jenny, what happened with you and the Frog?"

She looked at him. "You sure you want to hear this?"

He sat down next to her and held her hand. "I have feeling I should."

She took a deep breath. "I don't think my father ever meant for me to actually sleep with him. It certainly wasn't his or my intention. But I got in too deep and well… you know how that goes. Have to make it look real. But you never fall for the target."

He looked at her, an alarm going off in his head. "Is this why you had Tony romance the Frog's daughter? Was that revenge?" When she didn't answer, he shook his head. "Oh Jenny."

She narrowed her eyes at Jethro. "Maybe I did want him to feel the pain my father did. So what? It worked. Tony got a lot of useable intel from that assignment."

He shook his head, unsure what to think. "Did _you_ get useable intel when you were with him?"

"Yes. My father was about to turn him in when Benoit realized I'd set him up."

Gibbs frowned. "What'd he do?"

"I got a horrible voicemail message from my father. Rene apparently went into vivid detail about what happened between us, taunting my father."

He saw the pain in her eyes. "Do you think maybe that's why he killed himself?"

Her eyes turned cold. "No, I think that's why he was murdered."


	67. Chapter 67

A/N: Thanks so much for your continued support on this story. Your reviews have helped shape things, even if you didn't realize it. Today, I found "This Used to Be My Playground," by Madonna from the movie, "A League of Their Own" to be surprisingly helpful, appropriate and poignant. Not a ton happens but I figured everyone, including them, could use a break.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"I know this is a lot to absorb, Jethro."

"Ya think?"

She flinched upon hearing his dismissive tone, not that she didn't expect it.

Gibbs stood up and walked towards the screen. His head was reeling with everything Jenny had admitted to him, and he was having a hard time processing it.

Wanting to give him space, Jenny decided to do a few things to get ready for bed, not that she expected to be able to sleep. She arranged the blankets and pillows on the floor; took off her blazer and threw it over one of the seats; and set the alarm on her phone for 6 a.m., not wanting to take any chances of still being in the room when the techs or Vance arrived. She was laying out her clothes for the next day when she heard his voice.

"Are you still obsessed with this, Jenny?"

She noticed that he still hadn't turned to face her, and she couldn't really blame him. "Will you believe an answer I give you?"

"I want to," he managed.

She accepted that response. It was fair and perhaps more than she deserved. "My father's dead. La Grenouille's dead. Kort's on trial. There's not a lot more I can do or have to obsess over. Would I like to find a way to keep my father out of this tomorrow? Sure. Do I think I can? Probably not. Will I survive? Damn straight."

He turned around to find her standing behind him, her arms crossed and her face determined. "I am glad about that last part," he said as he opened up his arms.

She went into them willingly. "I'm afraid there's no more mystery to me," she said, holding him tight. "Except maybe that I kissed Frankie Mills in 8th grade under the bleachers."

He pulled back to look in her eyes, his own a bit skeptical. "That's it?"

"Well, not really but you get the idea. I'll spare you the complete list of lovers before you."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

She lost herself in his eyes, feeling her knees going a little weak. "You must know that no one has ever mattered to me but you," she whispered as she leaned his head down to kiss his forehead. "Only you," she added, kissing both cheeks. "Just you," as she hovered near his lips.

He took them, covering her mouth with his and kissing her with enough passion to wipe out any memory she could possibly still have another's lips.

Jenny moaned his name as he moved on to her neck. "Jen, before this gets too far… are there any cameras in here that could be recording or that could be turned on from somewhere else remotely?"

She quickly unbuttoned and removed his shirt, running her hands over the thin T-shirt covering his chest. "God I hope so," she said.

He laughed but then grabbed her hands. "I'm serious, Jen."

"Chicken," she said disappointed, walking over to the console. She inspected the buttons before finding the one she was looking for. "It was already off. No recording will be made," she pouted.

He looked at her, surprised. "You really wanted a recording?"

She laughed, her smile making his heart soar. "No, not really," she said as she wrapped her fingers around his belt loops, teasing the nearby skin. "But if Leon had found something… that upon watching made him feel horribly inferior, well, I wouldn't have been upset."

Gibbs couldn't help laughing. He watched as she playfully pushed him away and walked around the room, soaking it all in.

"I used to love my time in here," she sighed. She walked over to the console and punched a few buttons.

"You know how to work that thing?"

Jenny shot him a look. "We're not all technophobes like you, sweetheart."

He frowned as she smirked. Suddenly the big screen lit up with a view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Jenny sat down at one of the terminals and worked some magic over the keys. Gibbs smiled when he heard "Moon River" wafting over the speakers.

Jenny stood up and walked over to him. "Dance with me."

He took her in his arms. Jenny rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating as they swayed to the music. He had one hand in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist. Gibbs knew not to take this moment for granted; he could have lost her earlier and then his world would have shattered.

Jenny had one hand next to her face, resting on his chest. The other was around his waist. Her life seemed complete surreal. It anyone had told her five months ago that she'd soon be back together with Jethro, pregnant with his baby and dancing in his arms in the middle of MTAC, well… and yet, here she was. She worked hard to push out all the thoughts intent on ruining the peace she was feeling. Her whole body relaxed into him, grateful for this one moment of serenity amidst the chaos.

She smiled against his chest when she felt the baby kicking. "Can you feel that too?"

He kissed her head and rubbed her back. "Yep. I didn't know how this moment could be more perfect and then…"

"I think Munchkin appreciates the music. And my mind being calm." The music ended, so Jenny walked back to the console and shut it down.

Gibbs took her hand and walked her over to the bedding. "Now it's time for you to make one of _my_ fantasies come true," he said, kneeling next to her.

She knelt down in front of him, running her hands over his chest. "You had a fantasy involving MTAC? Really?"

He pulled her closer and placed kisses behind her ear, working his way along her jaw line to her neck. "The first time I saw you again, when Morrow said you were the new director. What I would have given for you to clear the room so I could welcome you back to town properly."

"And I said 'no off the job' – such an idiot."

"Shhh. Make it up to me… now."

Jenny was more than happy to do just that. She and Jethro did their best to shut out the world, taking care of each other as only they could. Afterwards, they laid in each other's arms, trying to make sure they were touching as much of each other as possible.

"Jethro, are we horrible people?" She saw his confusion. "A man died tonight protecting me and here we are, brazenly making love a few hours later."

"That's survivor guilt talking, Jen. Look at it instead as confirming to ourselves that we're still alive."

She propped herself up on her elbow so she could look in his eyes. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"Nope. I think you have to tell me again and again."

She smiled from ear-to-ear. "You don't get sick of hearing it?"

"From your lips? Never."

Her smile faded as dark thoughts crept back in. "Do you ever think I'm not worth all this trouble?" She sat up, pulling her knees underneath her chin and wrapping her arms around them.

He sat up too, concerned. He put his finger under her chin and turned her head so she would have to look at him and see his sincerity. "Never. I love you. All of you. Your good times, your bad times, the light in your heart and the dark parts of your soul. We'll survive whatever comes out tomorrow and we'll be stronger."

"Promise?"

She sounded like a little girl and the look on her face, the fear in her eyes, made his heart hurt.

He caressed her face with his hand and sighed as she melted into it. "I do."


	68. Chapter 68

A/N: Sorry this is so late but it's not been a great day.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny and Gibbs made it to the courthouse with Mary safely. Jenny immediately was pulled into a meeting with the lawyers to discuss the events from last night along with the note that was passed to her - and its ramifications. Gibbs was waiting in the conference room when McGee entered to update him on the investigation, but unfortunately and as expected, so far there wasn't any way to tie Kort to the attempted hit on Jenny.

Gibbs decided it was time to fill in McGee on his plans. "I wanted to let you know that after Jenny is done testifying, I will be taking a leave of absence from NCIS to join her in WITSEC until the trial is over."

Tim looked defeated. "You're leaving Tony in charge again?"

"Fraid so."

"You _are_ coming back though, right?"

Gibbs noted the slight panic in the probie's voice. "Don't let him get to you. But yes, we do intend to come back once the trial is over."

Tim breathed a sigh of relief - for a moment. "Wait, how long is the trial expected to drag on? Doesn't it have several months left? Oh man."

Gibbs held back a laugh. "I do have a favor to ask of you."

"Anything, Boss."

Gibbs saw Jenny approaching. "Do you think you can put together a care package of tech gadgets we may need?"

McGee smiled mischievously. "I believe I can put something together for you."

Jenny smiled. "Great. Then you can teach _me_ how to use it."

Gibbs shot her a look. "You're making fun of me again, aren't you?"

"Only a little bit." Jenny touched McGee's shoulder. "Tim, thank you for all you've done to help us. It means more than you'll ever know."

Tim's chest puffed up. She might not be director any more, but her approval still meant a lot to him. "I really appreciate that, Ma'am."

She shook her head. "It's Jenny."

Tim shared a look with Gibbs before turning his attention back to her. "Thanks, Jenny. By the way, I really admire what you're doing by testifying. I know it can't be easy."

Jenny was touched. She nodded. "Thank you, Tim."

McGee smiled and left the room.

Gibbs could tell Jenny needed a hug and gladly took her in his arms. "How'd it go with the lawyers?" He felt her tense up immediately.

"They're lawyers."

He nodded, understanding. He leaned back to look in her eyes. "You okay, though? We're almost done here. Before you know it, we'll be back with Mikey."

She looked at him sadly. "What about your house here?"

"Our house."

She smiled weakly. "Jethro, I… I don't know if I can go back there."

Gibbs was surprised at his physical reaction to Jenny's words - it was as if he was punched in the gut. It's not like he could blame her. She would probably always see the house as the place a man died to keep her alive. But the house was so much more to him than that memory. That was where he made his life with Shannon, where they had and then raised Kelly. Getting rid of the house would be like he was losing them all over again.

He released her and walked a few steps away. "Let's not think about that right now."

She saw the stricken look on his face before he turned away from her, and she immediately regretted her words. But they were the truth. Apparently though, there were other truths. That house meant far more to Jethro than simply a place to live. Jenny realized it was probably why he was so desperate to get her out of WITSEC and move her back to D.C. - to _that_ house. Shannon's house. Because there, he didn't have to choose between her and Shannon. He could have both. She wished that realization didn't hurt so much, but it did.

Jenny sat down in one of the chairs, caressing her belly, trying not to feel so alone.

Ziva walked in and immediately felt the tension. "Is this a bad time?"

Gibbs turned around to face her and saw Jenny sitting down, looking a bit upset. He turned his attention back to Ziva. "What do you need?"

"Nothing. McGee said I should speak with you."

Gibbs nodded. "I finally got that leave of absence approved."

Ziva sighed. "Good. That is how it should be. We will survive." She saw their discomfort. "You will be returning? This is not forever, is it?"

"It is the plan to return."

Ziva nodded. "Good."

Tony opened the door. "Boss, can I see you for a sec?" He saw the alarm on Jenny's face. "It's nothing. Just some logistics. Don't worry."

She nodded, grateful.

Gibbs looked at Ziva and pointed at Jenny. "Stay with her."

Ziva sat down next to Jenny, facing the door. "You do not look well."

"It's been a rough couple of days," she admitted. "And it doesn't look like things will be improving today."

"At least Gibbs will be with you through the pregnancy. That is good, right?"

Jenny managed a small smile. "Very good." She squeezed Ziva's hand. "I hope you know how sorry I am about how things went down in California. I know that couldn't have been easy for you."

Ziva's expression darkened. "It was horrible. I felt like we had let you down. And I could not believe, after everything we both survived in Cairo, that you…"

Jenny leaned over and hugged her friend. "I know."

Ziva brightened. "But look at you now! Finally with the man you have always loved - yes, I knew that - and you are having a baby. Almost makes me believe in happy endings."

Jenny eyed her knowingly. "Almost."

Ziva studied Jenny. "What is wrong?"

"Hormones. I'm all over the place. But I'm really glad we had this chance to talk. You know that you have a special place in my heart, right? We've shared a great deal, you and I."

Ziva nodded. "I do know, Jenny. I feel the same way. Whatever Gibbs did not teach me, you did. Well, and Mossad of course," she smiled.

Jenny laughed. "Of course."

"I owe you my new life. I love it here. I love NCIS. And working with Gibbs means the world to me. You are both very special."

It wasn't often that Jenny had seen Ziva choked up, but it touched her. "So you're happy?"

"I am," she smiled. "That does not mean that I do not want more, but I am happy."

Gibbs came through the door. Ziva immediately stood up.

Jenny did too and gave Ziva a big hug. "Thank you, Ziva."

Ziva smiled and left the room.

Gibbs looked at Jenny. "You okay?"

Jenny locked eyes with him. "Are we?"

He thought she was kidding until he saw the pain in her eyes. Then he remembered how she could read him easily, easier than anyone else had ever been able.

She saw his hesitation and it pained her heart.

Mary opened the door. "You're on. Let's go."

Jenny glanced back one more time at Jethro.

Her expression floored him. He knew he had to say something quickly. "Jen… _everything_."

But the look on her face let him know that wasn't enough this time.


	69. Chapter 69

A/N: Time for an oldie. "I Don't Know How to Love Him" as sung by Helen Reddy (it's from the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar") and felt scarily appropriate today.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was kicking himself that he hadn't been able to fix things with Jenny before she had to spend a few hours enduring a grueling cross examination. It made him feel worse that she wouldn't look at him. Yesterday, he had been her touchstone. She would glance at him from time to time and he knew it made her feel better, like she was drawing from his strength. But today, when she needed him even more, she kept her mask on, her eyes cold.

The defense kept picking at Jenny, doing their best to discredit her and make her seem like what she saw was all part of her obsession with the Frog. And then it happened.

"Is it true you had a sexual relationship with the deceased?"

Her lawyers tried to object, but they were overruled. Gibbs cringed when he saw that Tony was in the courtroom.

Jenny remained cool. "Yes, but many years prior to his death."

He admired the way she held her head high and answered the questions, especially since he knew it had to be killing her inside. He realized whatever that special something was about Jenny that made her incredible at undercover work, also served her well on the stand.

He turned his attention from her to Trent Kort. The former CIA agent wasn't looking at Jenny but rather it appeared he was taking notes and showing them to his attorney. Gibbs figured it was a good thing he wasn't looking at her because if he did, he might have to go over there and kill him with his bare hands. Of course, he felt like doing that anyway.

Jenny realized she was on auto-pilot. She knew how to handle the questions, and she refused to allow the lawyers to get her to say anything but what she intended. She also refused to allow herself to look at Jethro. Her thoughts and emotions were too raw to be trusted. She needed to concentrate because it was up to her to supply the biggest weapon to put Kort away. She hated that they were asking her such personal questions but she knew she had no right to be indignant. She owned her past - her mistakes and her triumphs.

Court recessed for lunch, and Jenny was escorted back to the conference room. She walked right past Jethro without looking back. Unsure if he was welcome, he stood outside the door, deciding whether or not he wanted to risk entering. He saw Tony approaching.

"DiNozzo, hold it. What are you doing?"

Tony was angry. "Step aside, Gibbs. Jenny and I have a few things to discuss."

Gibbs almost felt sorry for Tony. "Trust me, you don't want to go in there and confront her right now."

"Funny, I thought I did. In fact, I know I do."

Gibbs was actually impressed by his bravado, even if it was ill timed. "Tony, listen to me. You won't be confronting Jenny if you go in there. You'll be confronting the director. You won't get the answers you want."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, let her cool off."

"Thanks but no - I'm going in."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and followed him inside. He saw Jenny whip her ahead around. He'd swear he saw steam coming out of her ears, but he couldn't be sure. He did see Mary roll her chair backwards, out of the way as Tony approached.

Tony got right in Jenny's face. "You used me and Jeanne as part of some sick revenge ploy against your ex?"

Jenny's voice was ice. "Not now, Tony. I'm hanging on by a thread here. Back up and we'll do this another time."

Gibbs tried to get the younger agent out of there but Tony shook him off. "No. I think I deserve answers."

"Drop your righteous indignation, _Agent DiNozzo_. If you're waiting for an apology from me, don't waste your breath. I would consider apologizing to Jeanne - but not you." Jenny was furious and unfortunately for Tony, he was providing a perfect target.

"Why _not_ me?"

As angry as she was, Jenny kept her voice in check, but it was tinged with annoyance. "You had a job you were assigned. It gave you experience in undercover work. Valuable experience." She glanced at Gibbs before turning back to Tony. "You and everyone else loved throwing it in my face. Poor pitiful Tony was a pawn of big bad Jenny's dangerous obsession. But you always keep forgetting one very important fact."

Tony was also angry and frustrated. "And what would that be, Madame Director?"

"That halfway through the assignment, I gave you an out. I offered to end the entire undercover assignment. I was so proud of the job you were doing, that I tried to give you your own team in Spain. I told you that you could walk away. _You_ chose not to."

Gibbs couldn't believe it. He looked from Jenny to Tony. "Is that true, DiNozzo?"

Tony swallowed hard, looking at Jenny. "It was supposed to stay between us."

Jenny glared at him. "It's your own fault. I didn't appreciate that you blamed me back then for your breaking Jeanne's heart and I certainly don't like it any better now. And remember this, Tony. Rene Benoit was not 'my ex' in some romantic retribution kind of way. Did you listen to my testimony? He was an arms dealer. I was trying to get information to put him away. The exact same way you were doing with Jeanne. Only unlike you, I didn't fall in love."

Tony was livid. "It always comes back to that. You feel I blew it by developing feelings for her. I'm sorry I'm human."

"Tony, I never cared about that. Hell, you could have married her if you wanted. Do I think it's smart to fall for your target? Uh, no. But as you said, you're human. I didn't tell you to break her heart so stop blaming me for it. Time to accept your own responsibility for what happened."

Tony shook his head, still angry. He turned around and left.

Gibbs glanced around. "Can I have the room?"

Jenny looked at him with shock. "You've got to be kidding. I know we need to talk but now is _not_ the time."

He waited until they were alone, scrubbing his hand down his face in frustration. "Why not? Or are there other agents you'd like to pummel when it's me you're mad at?"

"This isn't all about you, Jethro. Have you been listening in that courtroom?"

"To every word. And I've also been watching."

"Meaning?"

He backed her against the wall, putting a hand on either side of her. "You haven't been able to look at me once in there. I know you need me. I don't want you going back in there until you feel you have me again."

She sighed. "This isn't something we can solve with a five minute conversation. We will work through it but now isn't the time." She tried to break free but he wouldn't let her and it was making her angry. "Let me go, Jethro. We both know I can get out of here if I really want but I'd rather not injure you."

"Explain to me this much, Jen. When did my telling you that you're my everything stop being enough?"

She saw the pain in his eyes, but she was too hurt herself to want to soothe him. "When your saying it felt like a slap across my face."

He drew back in shock. "Why would you say that?"

"God, Jethro, why are you making me get into this now?" She swallowed hard. "Those were just words. And I used to believe them. Probably on some level you even meant them. But your reaction earlier showed me that's all they were. Words."

"What are you talking about?" She was really beginning to freak him out.

"Your house. Your house _with Shannon_. I saw the look on your face when I told you I couldn't go back there. And suddenly it was all clear. Getting me out of WITSEC wasn't because you felt I couldn't handle that new life. It was because you couldn't let go of your old one. With me in Shannon's house, you could have us both."

He froze.

Jenny waited for him to say something, anything. Scream at her, deny it, give in - whatever. But he remained silent. "Told you now wasn't the time to get into it. Looks like you have a lot of thinking to do."

She went to the table, grabbed a sandwich and headed for the door. Jenny's heart was heavy as she turned back one last time to see him still glued to the same place. "You're still _my_ everything."


	70. Chapter 70

A/N: Crazy that we're at Chapter 70 already. Thanks for the great reviews - I know it hasn't been an easy ride, but I appreciate you all taking it with me.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny had been on the stand for a half hour and still no sign of Gibbs. She tried her best not to let it get to her, but it hurt. Suddenly she was making promises to herself that she would forgive him anything if he just came back.

Seeing her friend's distress and knowing the gentleman who was the cause, Mary got up out of her seat and exited the courtroom. She caught Ziva in the hall.

"Ziva, can you go sit in my place? I need to find Gibbs."

"He is not in there?"

Mary shook her head. "I don't care if they're fighting - Jenny obviously needs him to at least be in the room. I can tell she's a mess inside, even if no one else can."

"Let me find Gibbs; you go back to Jenny."

Mary realized Ziva was right. She probably was the better person to deal with Gibbs, so she nodded and returned inside.

Ziva used her com as she headed for the conference room. "Gibbs, where are you? Are you on?" She opened the conference room and found him with his head in his hands. "Gibbs, are you all right? What are you still doing in here? Court has been back for a half hour. Jenny needs you in there."

He scrubbed his hand down his face, looking defeated. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Mary certainly thought so, and it is not like that woman is sentimental." Ziva tried to place the look in Gibbs' eyes - was it hope? "I take it you two had a fight?"

He wasn't exactly comfortable discussing their personal issues with anyone, not even Ziva.

The Israeli didn't understand his silence but she did know she had been sent there on a mission. "If you do not want to talk, then at least get in that courtroom and make sure she sees you. Even if you are fighting, knowing you still care enough to be in there could help smooth her feathers."

Gibbs realized Ziva was right. The two headed out the door and towards the courtroom. He thanked Ziva before slipping inside where he sat next to Mary, trying to avoid her glare. He caught Jenny's eye and saw her visibly relax. _Damn_. Mary and Ziva were right. She _did _want him in there and he had screwed up again by staying away.

She still wasn't looking at him much but he could tell when the questions were particularly stressful, she did - and it meant the world to him. His heart hurt to think he was causing her more stress and pain. But she was right. He did have a lot to think about, and his half hour to himself in the conference room hadn't been nearly enough.

He did realize one thing. If he did want her out of the program so that they could live together in his house, it had been done unconsciously. He really did think it was because she seemed miserable being sequestered. And after seeing her with everyone, minus the recent fight with Tony, he believed he was correct about that. She had been more herself being surrounded by the team than he'd seen since before her 'death' - or maybe ever.

But it could have been unconscious though. Jen was right. The thought of never being in that house again, with all the reminders of his life with Shannon and Kelly, caused a pain in him he'd never anticipated. Yet, there was no way he was going to let a house, even that one, keep him from a life with Jenny and their baby. And he was dying to tell her that. He couldn't stand the way things were now between them.

He was snapped back to the present by a commotion. Apparently the lawyers were getting into it with each other and the judge called them into chambers, forcing everyone else into a 15 minute recess. Gibbs had never been so grateful for lawyers being lawyers.

He leapt out of his seat and quickly walked to the witness box, standing in the way of Kort's view of Jenny. She had been told she could stay there and when she saw Gibbs approach, she tried to keep her composure.

"Thank you for being here. I was a bit worried when you weren't," she admitted. "I know we have our issues but I didn't expect that," she said quietly.

"I thought you didn't want me here. I screwed up. There's so much I want to say to you," he said quietly. "Most important, I can't have you ever thinking I'd choose a house over you."

"It's not that simple, Jethro. But thank you." She locked eyes with him, both of them trying to say more that way - with their own private language.

She put her hand on the outside of the box. He put his fingers beside hers, grateful that she was letting him touch her at all, even if it was such a tiny portion of skin. He looked at her, seated inside the box. She saw his gaze so she moved her other hand over her stomach and then waved up at him. He loved the gesture, but it made him want to hold her all the more.

"I really hate fighting with you, Jenny. It makes me sick inside."

"Me too. But we can't keep talking like this. I have to get back in the zone. You're making me turn into mush here and that won't do."

He smiled. "No, that won't do at all. Though you do look adorable when you're mushy."

"Jethro…" she said in a warning, yet teasing tone.

"I know," he smirked. "Do you want me to go?"

"No," she said quickly. "Just stop the mush. Do you know where we're going tonight? I don't think they're going to be done with my redirect before the day's over. I wish they would. I'd love to fly back tonight."

"I'm guessing same place as last night."

Gibbs glanced over and saw the Bailiff had come out of the judge's chambers. He announced that they were now taking a half hour break. Jenny rolled her eyes. She wanted it over with already. Gibbs motioned for her to follow. They headed back to the conference room. Mary followed them both, along with a few other Marshals. When they got to the conference room, Gibbs let Jenny inside but stopped the others.

"Can we be alone?"

Mary smiled and nodded. She wanted them to work things out too. The last thing she needed was for Jenny to be a mess on the stand.

Gibbs joined Jenny inside. They ran into each other's arms, holding each other tight. He put his hands in her hair, tilting her face up so he could kiss her deeply.

She pulled away, needing to catch her breath. "You know I'm still upset and hurt, right?"

He nodded. "I know." They were immediately back at it again - needing to feel, taste and inhale each other. He backed her towards the table.

She felt him put his hands by her ass, lifting her onto the table, hiking her legs up as he stepped in between them.

"Crap."

She stopped kissing his neck long enough to look up. "What's wrong?"

"Did you realize you're not wearing a skirt?"

She felt dizzy from his kissing her neck. "I don't even realize my own name at the moment. You know I can't think when you're kissing me like that and have your hands on my breasts."

"Sorry."

Both looked up, completely mortified, to see Mary with her hand over her eyes. Jenny quickly scooted off the table and tried in vein to fix Jethro's appearance as he tried the same for her.

"What are you doing in here?" managed Gibbs, barely.

"Judge changed his mind. Court's back. Gotta go."

She turned around and headed out the door. As it closed they could hear her talking to someone else. "Oh yeah, they made up."

Gibbs and Jenny turned to look at each other. Jenny pretended to punch him as they headed for the door. "You're destroying my reputation."

"Pffft, you're the one killing my credibility," he teased.

They looked at each other and smiled. While they knew they still had problems to work through, for the moment, loving each other was all that mattered - actually, it was _everything_.


	71. Chapter 71

A/N: Thank you all for the great reviews - love each and every one of them! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was early evening when everyone arrived at NCIS. No one noticed that Leon Vance was on the catwalk watching. When Jenny had arrived the night before, it had been later and the place was pretty much empty but that wasn't the case now.

Apparently word hadn't spread of the former director's resurrection, at least judging by several gasps as eyes fell upon her. Jenny was a bit overwhelmed by the attention but she also appreciated the fuss they were making.

The team, including Gibbs, made their way to their desks, where they dropped things off and settled in to check phone messages and email.

Jenny introduced Mary to some of the agents who approached her, catching up on relationships, new babies, etc.

Gibbs finally looked up to notice Leon frowning, watching Jenny. When Leon noticed his lead agent looking at him, he turned and headed into his office. Gibbs caught Jenny's eye and motioned that he was heading upstairs.

Not waiting to be announced, Gibbs tossed open Leon's door and entered.

"Nice of you to make an appearance, Special Agent Gibbs."

He rolled his eyes. "You knew where I was, Leon."

"Yes, I did. And I'm guessing from the fact that you're back here with _her_, that MTAC will once again be subbing as your local Holiday Inn?"

"Is that a problem?"

"It'd be nice if you could see fit to ask me with a little more than 30 seconds notice."

Gibbs looked at the time. "It's early yet. Consider yourself having a few hours notice."

"Cute. Be out by 0800 tomorrow."

"Not a problem. And thanks."

Leon nodded to Gibbs before the latter walked out as quickly as he entered.

Gibbs headed down the stairs just as Abby approached. She saw her boss and immediately grabbed him for a hug. "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!"

He hugged her back, genuinely happy to see the Goth. "We brought food, Abs. Help yourself."

She pouted. "Is this your going away party?"

He thought about it for a second. "I guess it is."

He saw the sad look on her face and hugged her again. "Jenny will be coming to talk with you about covert ways we can keep in touch, since she's the technical one."

"Good, cause I can't go that long without my Gibbs fix."

He smiled, putting his arm around her as they joined the others to get some food, which was spread out buffet style on a table on the other side of the room from their desks. Tony was about to walk over to the food but when he saw Jenny heading over there, he turned around and went back to his desk.

Mary saw him and approached Tony. "You know, DiNozzo, I know it's none of my business, but I like you, so I feel the need to speak up."

He looked at her warily but allowed her to continue.

"I know I don't know everything that went down with this undercover assignment you did, but I do know a little bit about that woman over there that you don't," she said, her voice low, motioning towards Jenny. "She went through hell this past year. _Hell_. And today, she had to testify about some of the most embarrassing and humiliating moments of her life in front of people she cares about and who worked for her. Let that soak in for a moment."

Tony stiffened, not enjoying their conversation. He noticed McGee and Ziva listening, out of Mary's view.

"She then had to deal with your semi-public confrontation. If someone who worked under me had done the same, he wouldn't have left the room in a huff, he'd have left the room walking funny."

"Somehow I don't doubt that."

Mary saw Tony narrowing his eyes at her, his annoyance apparent. But to his credit, he was letting her finish. "You got to say your peace, and you heard her response. What is this crap you're pulling? You're acting like a petulant child, and I doubt Gibbs is appreciating it. You're in charge of his team now. It's time to put on your big boy pants, walk over and bury the hatchet - preferably not in her back."

"Finished?"

She sighed. "You're not going to have many more chances. After she finishes testifying tomorrow, they're both leaving, probably for several months. Is this really how you want them to remember you?"

When he remained silent, she walked off, shaking her head.

McGee came around the partition and looked at Tony. "You know she's right."

Tony glared at the probie. "Et tu, McBrute?"

Ziva looked at her partner quizzically. "I am surprised you took that from her without getting defensive. I am almost impressed."

"Did she say something? I don't know what it is, but there's something about that U.S. Marshal that turns me on," he said, with a leering look. He then winked at Ziva.

The Israeli shook her head in mock annoyance. Tony looked at them both, took a deep breath and walked over to Gibbs and Jenny, who were talking with Mary about logistics for the morning.

"We can finish this later." Mary nodded at Tony and walked over to get more food.

Jenny leaned back against Gibbs' desk. "Should I leave you two to talk?"

"No. I wanted to talk with you, Jenny."

She sighed, exhausted. "If it's more of the same from earlier, Tony -"

"It's not. I shouldn't have gone off on you like that and certainly not then."

She relaxed a bit. "I appreciate that. It's not like I didn't think you had any reason to be upset. I know you must have been shocked by my testimony. It's not my proudest moment."

Gibbs cleared his throat, getting both Jenny and Tony's attention. He looked at Tony but motioned to her. "Jenny now."

Tony smiled, nodding.

Jenny shot Gibbs a look. "Excuse me?"

Gibbs looked at the person getting off the elevator and smiled, knowing he was about to be rescued from explaining.

"Oh my God, Director Shepard!"

Jenny turned - and a smile crossed her entire face. "Cynthia!"

Jenny gave her former assistant a huge hug.

"I couldn't believe it when Special Agent Gibbs called and told me to come over here this evening."

Jenny looked at Gibbs and mouthed silently, "Thank you." She turned back to Cynthia. "You must tell me everything. How are you? You look fantastic!"

Cynthia was beaming. "Thank you, Director."

Jenny touched her arm. "No more Director. It's just Jenny."

Cynthia looked at her old boss and was about to speak when her eyes went wide, looking at Jenny's stomach and then back up to her eyes. "Um, are you…"

Jenny laughed. "Pregnant? Yes, I am," she said showing Cynthia her ring. "And engaged."

"I am so happy for you! Is he here? I'd love to meet the lucky guy."

Jenny's expression immediately fell, and she swallowed hard. She looked embarrassed and started playing with her hair. "Yeah, he is," she said, almost in a sing-song way, looking around at the ceiling.

Abby and Ziva snickered. Mary was suddenly fascinated with the exchange, looking from Jenny to Gibbs and back at Jenny.

Cynthia could see that Jenny was being cagey but she had no idea why. "Who is he?"

Gibbs for his part, was looking a bit put out. He walked up behind Jenny and folded his arms across his chest. "Dear, she's asking you a question."

Jenny, looking guilty, glanced at Cynthia. Cynthia's eyes went wide. "_Special Agent Gibbs_? No… You can't be serious?"

Mary burst out laughing. "Oh, I like this girl.'

Gibbs growled at her. "Hey!"

Jenny, feeling a bit sheepish, nodded. She grabbed his hand to wrap it around her, leaning back against him. "I know you two clashed pretty much every time you came into contact with each other but what can I say? I love the big lug."

He looked at Jenny. "Hey!"

Cynthia looked at the two of them and then saw Tony approaching with a big smile on his face. Her expression quickly turned into a frown.

Jenny looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

Cynthia went through her purse, took out $50 and handed it to Tony. "I guess you won, Agent DiNozzo."


	72. Chapter 72

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! They mean so much!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Ow. What was that for, Boss?"

Gibbs glared at Tony. "You really have to ask?"

Jenny pointed to the money in his hand. "Bad enough you took bets on our personal life but then to accept the payout in front of us?" She arched an eyebrow, shaking her head. "That's living on the edge, DiNozzo."

"Good point. My bad," said Tony, holding out his arm for Cynthia to take. "Least I can do is buy you dinner. Let me walk you over to the buffet."

Cynthia smiled and shrugged as she took Tony's arm. He introduced Cynthia to Mary and the three of them walked over to the food.

Jenny turned around, wrapping her arms around Gibbs' waist. "So what happened with Leon?"

"Nothing, it's fine considering." He put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Considering what?"

"I know how he disapproves of us or at least he did."

Jenny was getting mad. "What are you talking about?"

"Remember when he was here with the FBI, questioning us all about the Frog's death?" She nodded. "He made a crack to me about how he knew about 'our relationship' and he'd never been comfortable with intimacy between management and staff."

"That son of a bitch. Where did he come off -"

"Hey, hey… calm down. That was a long time ago. And he has been somewhat decent about all of this. You got to admit, we've turned this agency upside down the last couple of days."

She sighed. "I guess you're right. But still, what you and I do is not now, nor has it ever been, his business."

"Well, he _is_ my boss. And there is Rule 12."

"You never did have much credibility with that rule," she smirked. "I liked it better when I was your boss," she said playfully as she tugged on his belt loops.

He looked down and smiled. "Oh you still are. You're the big boss."

She laughed. "Good, don't ever forget that."

Cynthia, Tony and Mary set up chairs in the middle of the bullpen to eat. McGee, Ziva and Abby were already seated there as well, eating their dinner, while Jenny and Gibbs sat down on top of Gibbs' desk to join them.

Cynthia looked at Jenny and Gibbs. "Did I miss something? Were you two together back then?" She saw Jenny shake her head. "Then when did this happen? How?"

Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other. Mary saw their discomfort and thought she could diffuse it a bit. "I think we all take people in our lives for granted sometimes."

Tony and Ziva locked eyes as did Abby and McGee.

"So when something like this happens, when you think you've lost that person forever - and then suddenly you find out that you haven't, well… feelings can come out fast and furious."

Gibbs managed a little smile. "Well said, Mary."

"So tell us, Cynthia, where are you working now?" Abby was curious, but she also knew Gibbs would probably want the subject changed. She beamed when he smiled at her, and she knew she was right.

"I'm working for a friend of the direct - I mean, a friend of Jenny's. Senator Bob Summers asked me -"

Jenny interrupted. "That's who you're working for? Are you serious?"

All eyes turned to Jenny. She swallowed hard. "Um, that's great."

Cynthia laughed. "You know you broke his heart. But he took pity on me anyway."

Jenny saw a sea of smiling faces turn her way. She looked at Gibbs, blushed a bit and shrugged. "Well, I wasn't a monk while you ignored me. I told you I got attention from men."

He rolled his eyes and started massaging her neck. "Oh, I know you did."

Mary looked at them and shook her head. "OK, we've now lost Jenny as part of this conversation. She's in massage heaven."

Abby laughed. "So Mary, do you two get to hang out much?"

"We usually have lunch about once a week or so? For a while there, we used to have killer poker games and drink everyone else under the table. And if Jenny were able to speak right now, she'd be saying, 'Damn, I miss my bourbon' - right?"

"Uh huh," moaned Jenny, thoroughly enjoying her massage.

"Oh I believe that," added Cynthia.

Mary laughed. "So, Cynthia, what's the deal with you and Gibbs?"

"You do know I'm right here, Mary."

"You're mistaking me for caring, Gibbs. Go on, Cynthia. No, don't look at him. You don't work here anymore."

Tony whispered to Mary, "And people think I live on the edge."

Mary laughed and then turned her attention back to Cynthia. "Go on."

Cynthia smiled. "There's not much to tell, really. I loved it when he was mean to me."

Ziva looked puzzled. "Why is that?"

Cynthia smiled. "Because then I'd get a great gift from Jenny. I still love my Hermes scarf."

Jenny laughed while Gibbs glared at both her and Cynthia.

"He'd come up to see Jenny and he was supposed to stop and tell me so I could announce him and he never, ever did. He'd just barge in her door anytime he wanted."

Gibbs sighed. "I explained to you why, Cynthia."

"That's right," she said, smiling at the memory. "Because you're Jenny's slave. I had forgotten about that."

Everyone started laughing, especially Jenny, who looked between Gibbs and Cynthia. "Excuse me? Oh this I have to hear."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "That wasn't how I explained it."

"So you're my slave?" asked Jenny, looking him up and down. "I could get used to that."

"Later, if you're lucky," he whispered. To everyone else he simply pleaded, "Someone rescue me from this conversation? Where's Ducky? I need another adult here."

"I'm right behind you, Jethro. Mr. Palmer was kind of enough to tell me there was food up here."

Abby looked around. "Where is Jimmy?"

"I'm afraid he has a lot of work left to do. But I am able to join the party. Hello, Jennifer. Good to see you again, my dear."

McGee lit up. "Ducky, why don't you tell Mary some of your stories of the three of you in Europe, like the time Jenny commandeered a boat for you and Boss to escape the country."

"That's pretty much the entire story, Timothy, but maybe I can think of another one."

"I never heard that one." Cynthia was intrigued.

"I think we can skip Paris, Duck."

The ME saw his friend's warning glare. "Perhaps you are correct. Cynthia, how lovely to see you again. How have you been young lady?"

Gibbs whispered to Jenny, "How are you holding up?"

She smiled. "I'm have a great time. I am a little tired, but I can sleep all I want in New Mexico. We're going to miss this when we're gone. I want to enjoy them as long as possible."

"Okay," he said, kissing her temple. "Are you still upset with me?"

She became very quiet. She then looked into his eyes. "I don't want to think about that until we're back home. Is that okay?"

Silently, Abby nudged Cynthia to look at Jenny and Gibbs.

Jethro caressed Jenny's face. He leaned his forehead against hers and rubbed her nose with his. "Of course it is. As long as you know how much I love you."

She closed her eyes, breathing in his scent. "I do."

Abby sighed. "Now do you get it?"

Cynthia smiled. "So sweet."

Jenny and Gibbs realized it had gotten quiet. They looked up and saw everyone staring at them.

Mary shook her head. "You two just gave me another cavity."


	73. Chapter 73

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! They not only motivate me, but they can affect the story. Special shout out to VioletAkuamoebe0396 and also to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs for checking in from Paris and making my day!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Abby and Jenny were down in the lab, having just agreed to a plan that would allow them to safely contact each other when needed. Ziva and Cynthia were also there, gabbing, waiting for the other two to finish.

"Okay, the boys are upstairs. Now I want some serious dirt about you and the fearless leader."

Jenny was amused by Abby's exuberance. "Serious dirt? Like what?"

"Like, you two worked together here for years and nothing happened. So how'd you finally get it together?"

"I would like to know this too," shared Ziva.

"I think it's like Mary said. He was full of regret when he thought I died, so when Jethro saw me again, he didn't hold anything back. His pride, his stubbornness - it all vanished. I was trying to push him away, and he was trying to convince me it could work."

Abby's eyes went wide. "You were trying to resist the Silver Fox? How could you?"

"It's really not hard to imagine, Abby," offered Cynthia, rolling her eyes.

Ziva was curious. "So how did he convince you?"

Jenny smiled at the memory. "He told me he loved me."

Abby's eyes went wide. "You must have died! Oh oops, bad choice of words."

Jenny laughed. "But pretty accurate. I was completely floored. I had wanted to hear him say those words for so long, but it was the worst possible timing, in my mind. So I kept trying to push him away. I didn't want him stuck with this witness protection nightmare but he was having none of that. He kept at me, thank God."

"Aw." Abby was loving every morsel that Jenny was giving her. "And how did he ask you to marry him?"

Jenny realized how much she missed having girlfriends to talk with about these types of things and how solitary her life had become. It made her want to share about the good times in her life.

"He took me to this beautiful restaurant I'd been wanting to try. It was truly a magical evening. After dinner, we were walking down this quaint cobblestone street where music was piped in all around us. This old song, "Moon River," came on and I told him how I used to love watching my parents dance to it, so he asked me to dance."

Both Abby and Ziva were enthralled. Even Cynthia was impressed.

"You are blowing my mind that Gibbs would do that. Like, seriously."

"Then wait until you hear this next part, Abby. When the song finished, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him – right there in the middle of the street."

"Who knew Gibbs had it in him to be so romantic!" Ziva was incredulous.

"Did he take out the ring then?" Abby needed more details.

Jenny laughed. "He didn't have a ring, probably because I don't think he had planned to ask me, at least not then. Long story but he did have a cigar. He took off the band around it and that was my ring for a while."

Ziva and Abby looked at each other and then back at Jenny.

"So cute," gushed Abby.

"Unbelievable," added Ziva.

Jenny shook her head. "He's so going to kill me."

Upstairs, the men - and Mary - were talking.

Tony looked at the U.S. Marshal. "Are you sure you don't want to be downstairs with the women?"

She glared at him. "Gibbs?"

"You only think she's a woman. She's fine here."

"Thank you."

McGee was curious. "Really?"

Mary turned her glare his direction. "They're probably talking about girlie things and feelings."

Gibbs looked at McGee and shook his head. "She doesn't do those."

"Speaking of feelings, Boss, how do you feel about Jenny making you a daddy? Way to hit it out of the park!"

Gibbs glared at Tony. "DiNozzo, I'm quite comfortable right now. Don't make me have to get up and head-slap you."

"Sorry, Boss."

"I'm excited. I'll feel better when the baby's here and everything's okay," he said.

"Do you want a boy or girl?" McGee was genuinely interested.

"Just want the baby healthy."

"Yeah, yeah, everyone says that but really - do you want to play catch with your son or do you want to watch your little girl's dance recitals?"

Gibbs was suddenly flashing back to Kelly, dressed in her ballet outfit.

"_Do I look like a real dancer, Daddy?"_

"_You are a real dancer, sweetie."_

Gibbs tried to regain his composure. "I'll love it all, DiNozzo. And I can't wait."

The men looked at him, surprised by his candor and the depth of his emotion.

"Oh man, am I downstairs with the women?"

Gibbs looked over at Mary and she winked at him.

Downstairs, Abby was clapping.

"I so excited about your little Jibblet!"

Jenny looked at her, confused. "Jibblet?"

"Well yeah. You guys are like a super couple. And everyone mashes super couple names together. Haven't you heard of Branaglina?" She saw Jenny still looked confused. "You know, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? Jenny and Gibbs would be Jibbs and now you two are having a baby - a little Jibblet."

Jenny shook her head. "You've left me speechless."

Abby laughed.

Cynthia looked at her former boss, sensing something was a bit off. "Are you nervous about having a baby?"

Jenny became very quiet. "I'm more nervous about _not_ having one."

Ziva was now concerned. "Is there a problem?"

"I hope not. But there is risk at my age."

Cynthia saw the fear in Jenny's eyes. She reached out for her hand and squeezed it. "Is there anything we can do?"

Jenny smiled, wanting to alleviate the tension in the room. "Oh it'll be fine. Don't worry."

Abby realized the mood needed to shift quickly. "So was this a surprise or did you two want to have a baby?"

"A little of both. But you've seen Jethro with children. I've wanted to have a baby with him for a very long time. Not that this child could replace Kelly but he was cheated out of the life he should have had, out of being a father. I know he'll be incredible."

"I bet you will be pretty great too." Ziva smiled at her friend.

Cynthia's eyes went wide. "How are we going to throw you a baby shower? This stinks."

"I feel like this is it, actually," offered Jenny. "You are all so great. I'm really going to miss you guys."

"But you will come back after the trial is over, right?" Abby was trying not to panic.

"We want to, Abs." Jenny squeezed the Goth's hand.

"No, that's not good enough. You have to! We have to meet the Jibblet. It's just not fair."

Jenny stood up and walked over to Abby, giving the girl a hug. "Thank you for caring so much."

Abby held on tight and whispered in her ear, "Thank you for bringing back his smile."

"It means a lot to me to hear you say that, Abby, thank you." Jenny was beaming.

The women made their way upstairs just as Mary was getting ready to leave for her hotel. She said her goodbyes to everyone and prepared to walk out with Cynthia, who first needed to say goodbye to her former boss.

Jenny hugged her tight. "Thank you for coming. It was so good to see you again. I promise to get in touch with you when I can."

Cynthia squeezed her hand. "You have no idea how happy I was to hear you were okay. I was really upset when I thought…"

Jenny saw how choked up her former assistant was getting. "I know. I'm so sorry."

"I can't wait to meet your little one. And I know everything will be okay."

Jenny smiled. "Thanks. Take care of yourself."

Cynthia looked at Gibbs, who had just come up behind Jenny, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Take good care of her."

He nodded. "That's the plan."

"Boss, I think the rest of us are going to take off too. We'll see you both at the courthouse tomorrow."

Gibbs nodded at Tony as he, Ziva and McGee headed out.

Abby and Ducky stayed behind.

Jenny sighed. "Is this goodbye?"

Abby looked at Ducky. "I don't know about you, but I don't think I can get away tomorrow, so for me, I think it is."

"I'm afraid for me as well," added the older man.

Gibbs took Abby aside, while Ducky approached Jenny.

Jenny went easily into the ME's arms. "Thank you for being such a good friend to us both."

Ducky let go and looked down at her bump. "You are carrying precious cargo there, Jennifer. I know you and Jethro will make wonderful parents. Be good to each other."

"I promise to take excellent care of him," she smiled, looking at Jethro.

"Oh my dear, I don't doubt that for a second."

Gibbs was the one to do the hugging this time. Abby hugged him back tightly.

"Gibbs, I'm going to miss you like crazy. I can't believe I'm not going to see you for so long. What am I going to do without you?"

"I think the better question is what am I going to do without you?"

Abby loved that. It made her feel great to think Gibbs could possibly miss her as much she was going to miss him. "But you'll be back as soon as you can."

"And not a day longer. Promise."

"I'm really so happy you and Jenny found your way back to each other. I knew you two belonged together."

He smiled. "Thanks Abs."

They switched partners as Abby drew Jenny into another welcomed hug.

"Come back soon. And be sure to give him lots of hugs from me, okay?"

Jenny nodded. "We're both going to miss your sweet shining face."

A bittersweet smile crossed Abby's face.

Ducky and Jethro hugged briefly. "Thanks Duck - for everything. I'm going to miss you, my friend."

"I'm going to miss the two of you but I'll worry less since you'll have each other. Be good to her, Jethro."

Gibbs laughed. "I hope everyone is saying that to her too."

The two men then shook hands. Gibbs went to Jenny and slipped his arm around her waist. She leaned her head against his shoulder as they waved goodbye to their dear friends.

After the elevator left, the two held hands and silently walked up to MTAC. Once inside, Gibbs sunk into one of the chairs and pulled Jenny down onto his lap.

He put his hand under her blouse and started caressing her back, the other hand on her thigh. "You okay?"

She leaned against him, putting her head down on his shoulder. "I wish my crap didn't have to pull you away from everyone."

He turned his head to face hers, which was only an inch away. "Don't you know that no matter what, I would always choose you?"

Her mind went back to their conversation earlier in the conference room. Jenny did her best to push those feelings of insecurity away as she cupped his face in her hands. "Sometimes. Most of the time. I only wish you didn't have to give up so much to be with me."

"Ah, but look at how much I'm getting."

Her eyes softened. Jenny looked at the man she loved and wondered how she got so lucky. She didn't know, but she promised herself right then that she would do her best to never take him or their love for granted.

He drank her in, the woman who had changed his life. "I want to make love to you, Jenny."

She kissed him deeply, savoring everything about the moment. She pulled back to look in his eyes. It was there that Jenny saw the love she sought and she knew, at least for that moment, that she was more than enough for him.


	74. Chapter 74

A/N: Well, we knew it couldn't last forever. Time to leave D.C. Thanks again for the reviews! They are appreciated!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was finally over.

Jenny finished her testimony and was escorted back to the conference room. Mary was on the phone, finalizing their flight. She handed Gibbs an envelope with his new passport in the name of Leroy J. Gibson – Jenny's suggestion.

McGee arrived with Gibbs' suitcases, having gathered the essentials that his boss had scribbled on a sheet of paper for him. He also had a special briefcase. Gibbs shook his hand. "I appreciate your help, Tim. With everything."

Tim stood a bit taller, more sure of himself. "If there's ever anything else you or Jenny need, I hope you'll let me know."

Jenny walked over, having heard the last part of their conversation. She gave Tim a peck on the cheek as she squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Tim." She then whispered in his ear, "Take good care of Abby for us, okay?"

He looked at her with surprise. She smiled knowingly, making him blush. "I will."

Gibbs put his arm around Jenny. "Hang tough, McGee. If DiNozzo acts up, have Ziva take care of him."

Tim laughed and nodded, before turning to leave. He passed Ziva and Tony as they headed in.

"Boss, the cars are ready anytime you three are."

Gibbs nodded at Tony. He turned to Jenny and saw the conflict in her. "You ready?"

"I guess so," she said, reaching for his hand.

The door opened and Fornell came in. "Jethro, glad I caught you two before you left."

Gibbs let go of Jenny's hand and walked over to his friend. "Everything okay, Tobias?"

"Just wanted to let you know that I'll continue to monitor everything and will touch base with DiNutso over there and SecNav. Don't worry about things on this end. You concentrate on your family."

Jenny came up behind Gibbs. "Thanks, Fornell."

"Shepard, take care of my friend."

She smiled. "It'll be my pleasure."

He shook his head. "Please - I don't need details."

Gibbs laughed. "Give Emily a hug for me, okay?"

"You got it." The two friends shook hands before Fornell turned around and left.

"All right kids, are we ready?" Mary checked her gun and then slipped it back in her holster.

The other Marshals nodded, as did Tony and Ziva. Gibbs reached for Jenny's hand, slipping his fingers through hers.

Mary spoke into her com. "On the move."

It wasn't long before Gibbs found himself cursing D.C. traffic - their drive on the Dulles Access Road, never mind on the Beltway, took longer than it should have to get them to the airport. That was something he wasn't going to miss for the next several months. He looked over at Jenny, wearing her sunglasses and looking out the window, mesmerized.

"We'll be back," he said, trying to comfort her.

She smiled faintly, before squeezing his hand. "That'll be the day."

He smiled at her reference, nodding his head.

They arrived at their terminal with only few minutes to spare before the boarding of the first class cabin. Tony, Ziva, Mary and the other Marshals surrounded Jenny while Gibbs walked a few feet away to make a phone call.

"Hi."

"Leroy, is that you?" Jackson Gibbs knew his son wasn't one to call just to shoot the breeze. "Is something wrong, son?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. "I'm calling to tell you that I'm going to be out of touch for several months. If you need to get a hold of me, call my work number and ask for anyone on the team – including Abby. They'll know how to get word to me."

"Are you in trouble?"

Gibbs couldn't help but smile. "No, Dad. And when I can get back in touch, I'll hopefully have a wonderful surprise to show you."

Jackson Gibbs wasn't sure what to make of this conversation with his son, but that wasn't exactly a new feeling for him. "I love you, Leroy. Be careful."

"I love you too, Dad."

Gibbs hung up the phone and turned around to find Jenny staring at him, her eyes wide in surprise. "Your dad?"

He swallowed hard. "Yeah." He immediately saw the wheels turning in his lover's head and he knew what she was thinking. "Don't worry, he's used to not hearing from me for long periods of time. Years even. This is nothing."

Jenny looked at him, confused. "When did you two reconcile?"

"This past year. Stop worrying. Come on, we have some goodbyes we need to make." Gibbs walked over to Tony while Jenny approached Ziva.

"I hate goodbyes, Jenny."

"Me too, Ziva. Should we just say, see you soon then?"

Ziva nodded. "See you soon, my friend."

"One more thing, Ziva. Toda raba."

Ziva smiled upon hearing the Hebrew she'd taught Jenny long ago. "You're very welcome."

Tony looked at Gibbs. "We'll do our best to keep you guys safe from our end. You just take care of her. And hopefully we'll be able to get you two back here soon. I'm only keeping your seat warm."

Gibbs smiled a tiny bit and nodded. "You're a good agent. I know you'll handle things. Be good to the team. Don't annoy them too much with those campfire things."

Tony laughed. "They like that stuff, Boss. It's a chance to share ideas. Hey, even Jenny took part in them."

"I took part in what, Tony?"

"Campfire. You liked them."

Jenny looked at Gibbs and laughed. "They did serve their purpose, Jethro."

Gibbs simply shook his head, incredulous, before he walked over to Ziva. She looked up at him, the man she admired like a father. Neither really knew how to say goodbye, so Gibbs simply drew her into a brief hug, kissing the top of her head.

"I think I owe you again, Ziva."

"I will try not to collect so soon this time, Jethro."

The edges of his mouth tweaked up as he nodded.

Tony looked at Jenny. "We're good, right?"

Jenny smiled. "If you think so, then I do too." She was relieved to see Tony's smile. "One last thing - I think we need a code word, in case the you-know-what hits the fan. I want to be able to call one of you, say it and have you know to haul ass up to MTAC to provide possible eyes-in-the-sky kind of support."

Tony nodded. "OK, what's the word?"

She looked at Tony and smiled. "I may need your help on picking, but I was thinking something like Goldfinger or Thunderball."

He smiled broadly. "Definitely Thunderball."

"Thunderball it is then," she smiled. "Let the team know. Hopefully we'll never have to use it."

Tony could see she was worried about it. "We'll take care of things, Jenny. You just take care of your little one and the big guy."

She appreciated his support. "I will. You take care, Tango eight."

He laughed at her use of his undercover name. He was then pleasantly surprised when Jenny gave him a quick hug.

Mary joined them. "OK, we can board now. Tony, Ziva - it was a pleasure working with you both. If you ever feel like joining a real agency, let me know."

She laughed at the dirty looks Jenny and Gibbs gave her. She then shook hands with Tony and Ziva, and then escorted Gibbs and Jenny to the plane.

Tony and Ziva watched as the three walked off. They looked at each other, both a little melancholy, before turning around and leaving the airport.

Right before they were to take their seats, Gibbs grabbed Mary's arm, taking her ticket out of her hand. He then gave her his. Jenny looked at him, confused.

He caressed her face. "I love you. Why don't you and Mary sit together for the first part of the flight. You told me I had some thinking to do. Figured this is as good a time as any."

Jenny nodded, trying to keep her face unreadable, even though she was a little worried. "I love you, too. See you in a bit," she said before she placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Gibbs settled into his seat, across the aisle from Mary and Jenny, who took the window seat. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

Mary was actually happy that she was going to get some time to talk with her friend, but she knew what she was about to say would not be welcomed. "Ready, Catherine?"

Jenny nodded, feeling a bit defeated. She looked over at Jethro, her heart aching that he was going to be spending the next couple of hours thinking about the love of his life - knowing that it wasn't her.


	75. Chapter 75

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! I love hearing what you guys think!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was trying to figure out what he could say to make Jenny feel better about things. But the more he thought about walking away from the house he shared with Shannon, the house where they were raising Kelly together - the backyard that had her time capsule as well as several pet goldfish buried in it - the more heavy his heart felt.

"How are you holding up?"

Jenny had been staring out the window, not that she was really looking at anything. She turned her attention to Mary, trying to smile. "I'm going to miss everyone, but I'm happy the stress of testifying is finally over. How do you think it went?"

Mary thought about her question for a few moments. "I didn't pay attention to your entire testimony, but from what I saw, you came off very credible. I think the defense took a serious blow."

Jenny took a deep breath and nodded. "Good. Thanks. So tell me - what did you think of the window you got into my former life?"

Mary sighed. "I think I understand your sadness a bit more now."

Jenny stared at her. She was a bit in shock, not getting the answer she anticipated, but she eventually found her voice. "What do you mean?"

"Seeing what you left behind. The people, the job - you had a life, an important one. I get it."

"I appreciate that, thank you. I think everyone liked you, especially Tony."

Mary leaned back in her seat. "Yeah, if we were there longer, I wouldn't have minded hooking up with him."

Jenny coughed up the water she was drinking. "Could you warn a gal next time?" Mary laughed. "I don't know about you and Tony. He prides himself on being a bit of a dog."

"Now there you go having to make him sound even more appealing."

Jenny shook her head. "I should have known you'd react like that. Despite the fight you unfortunately had to witness, Tony is a great guy with a bigger heart than he wants anyone to know about."

Mary eyed her friend suspiciously. "And how do _you_ know about his big heart?"

"Not the way you're thinking," she laughed. "It was that undercover assignment I gave him. He had to romance a young woman. And I saw him mature and grow as he unfortunately started falling in love with her. You saw the way he went at me. He's never forgiven himself for breaking her heart. If he truly was the playboy he wants us to think he is - it wouldn't have bothered him so much."

Mary sighed. "I preferred it when I thought he was a dog."

Jenny smiled. "I'm really glad you were there with us."

"I wouldn't have traded it for anything. The look on the team's faces that first day when Gibbs kissed you in front of them - pure comedy."

"Glad our lives could provide amusement for you."

"Yeah, me too."

It wasn't long before their meal was brought out and as soon as it was taken away, Gibbs leaned over. "Can we trade seats?"

Mary gathered her belongings and moved over to the other seat.

Jethro settled next to Jenny. "Mind if I join you?"

She smiled. "I don't mind at all. Do you want to talk about things? Or should we wait until we get home?"

He reached for her hand and threaded his fingers with hers, bringing it to his lips to kiss. "If we can resolve this here, I would appreciate it. Because when we get home, I want to crawl into bed with you and not leave it for a week."

"A week of us just lying in each other's arms? That sounds heavenly." Jenny turned to the side so she could face him. She reached for his chin, guiding him to her lips, which he took willingly.

He loved the feel of her lips, the taste of her mouth. He pulled away, smiling at the look on her face as she savored his kiss on her lips.

She opened her eyes, looking at him carefully. "So, you did some thinking?"

He avoided her eyes as he spoke from his heart. "I guess I feel like the house holds their memories and to give it up, makes me feel like I'm abandoning them all over again."

Jenny's breath caught in her throat. His choice of words concerned her, giving her a glimpse, albeit a distressing one, into his pain. "All over again? What are you talking about? You didn't _abandon_ them."

He dropped her hand to use it to scrub down his face. "I wasn't there when they needed me. Same thing."

"Oh, Jethro." She leaned back into her seat and sighed deeply.

He looked at her, unsure how to read her reaction. "What?"

"I can't imagine either Shannon or Kelly would want you to be overwhelmed with guilt, especially about something that was out of your control. I know I sure as hell wouldn't."

Gibbs fought the urge to get up and walk away. He knew Jenny wouldn't understand. How could she? She didn't know the torment he felt over not being there to save his girls. It was his own private hell.

Jenny saw that he not only hadn't responded but had withdrawn. She put her hand on his and was concerned when he didn't react. "Jethro? Will you talk to me?"

He didn't know what to do. Any reaction he had would probably hurt her and yet, he wanted nothing more than to close himself off in his basement and work with his hands. He needed space to breathe. _Damn plane._

Jenny looked at the man she loved carefully, trying to read him as she had so many times before. "So what is it? Are you more comfortable embracing the guilt? Would letting go of it feel like you're letting go of them?"

He tuned his head to look at her, his blue eyes piercing with anger. It wouldn't let him consider if she might be right. It wasn't like Jenny to pick at him like this. He expected this kind of pushing from one of his ex-wives but from her? She'd never done it before. "Why are you doing this?"

The look in his eyes and the anger in his voice startled Jenny. It made her think that perhaps she was right. "Don't you get it? If you're in pain, I'm in pain. That's what happens when you love someone the way I love you."

He didn't want to believe her words. He couldn't be responsible for her pain. It was hard enough dealing with his own.

Jenny tried to say her next words as gently as she could. "If you can't talk to me about this, maybe you should consider seeing a therapist, because this is obviously still eating you up inside."

A therapist? Had she lost her mind? Jenny knew how he felt about that. "I was fine until you started making me dredge it all up."

Jenny frowned. "Great. It's my fault now. That's just perfect."

He sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"You sure about that?"

When he didn't answer, she reached down into her bag and pulled out her iPod. Worried that she was stressing out the baby, she put on the Mozart playlist, and settled the headphones next to her stomach. She then turned to Jethro. "I think maybe you should do some more thinking on your own." She rubbed her bump. "We need to relax." She then leaned back and closed her eyes, trying not to replay their discussion over and over in her head and instead clear her mind.

Gibbs looked at her, completely frustrated. He didn't want to do any more thinking. Then again, he didn't want to do any more talking either. He looked at Jenny and noticed a bit of moisture in the corners of her eyes and he mentally kicked himself for causing her more pain. But he couldn't seem to stop.


	76. Chapter 76

A/N: This chapter I need to give a shout-out to Kiko. Thanks everyone again for the reviews! They make me smile. I hope this will do the same for you.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs and Jenny didn't speak for the rest of the flight.

When they reached the house, Mary threw the car into park. "Stop - you're not getting out of the car yet. First things first, I don't know if you saw him, but Marshall followed way behind us to see if anyone was trailing. He texted me it was all clear, so I hope that puts your minds at ease."

They both nodded their heads.

"Second - and it's my last point - what the hell is wrong with you two? No - don't answer, I didn't mean I actually wanted to know. Just… get it together because you two are my last hope that second chances can happen and have a happy ending. So… fix this," she said, waving her hand around the two of them. "Now get out of here. I have work to catch up on."

Jenny squeezed her friend's shoulder as she got out of the car. Mary popped the trunk so Gibbs could get their things out of the back. Jenny grabbed her wheeled luggage and headed for the house. Gibbs stopped next to Mary's window and mouthed 'thank you' to her. She nodded and drove off.

By the time Gibbs turned toward the house, Jenny had already made it inside. He sighed and headed for the door. He knew he had to do something to make things right. He hadn't waited the last few months to finally be here with her only to be fighting.

Gibbs dropped his suitcases next to the couch. He looked around and saw Jenny in the kitchen, going through the mail. He figured now was as good a time as any to be the first to speak. "Anything good?"

She was relieved to hear his voice, even if it was something as simple as that. "Beats me. I was just going through the motions. I can't even tell you where any of it was from," she said, tossing it on the counter.

He walked over to her and started rubbing her shoulders - thankful that she let him. If there was one thing he appreciated about Jenny, it was that she rarely held a grudge. Or maybe she was easily distracted. Either way he was grateful. After a few moments he asked, "Are you still mad at me?"

She turned around and stared into his deep blue eyes. "Jethro, I've never been _mad _at you. That isn't what this is about. I've been upset, I've been hurt… profoundly sad - but not mad. I understand that you will always love Shannon. I get that," she said, averting her eyes from his. "She was the love of your life. What worries me is that you seem more focused on the guilt rather than the love."

He thought about her words and tilted her face up so he could study her eyes. "Do you doubt how much I love _you_, Jen?"

He saw her hesitation. "I don't know about that 'love of your life' stuff, but I do know one thing. You are my soul mate. Your heart is so tied to mine, I don't know where mine ends and yours begins. And that's why when you seem to not get what I'm saying, it hurts_._"

Jenny's heart melted with his words. "It scares me how much I love you, how much I need you."

He took his thumbs and wiped away the few stray tears that had fallen. "Same here. I was a wreck without you, spending every night underneath my boat passed out because I couldn't handle being away from you. My memories of the past aren't what comfort me. Only you - your love, your arms holding me."

She placed her hands on his chest, bunching up his shirt in her fists. "I need you to make love to me, Jethro." She then whispered, "Make me scream your name."

He put his arms around her, his hands exploring her body as much as much as his mouth was inhaling her kiss.

And then the doorbell rang.

"Ignore it," he said, pressing her tightly against him. "They'll go away."

Then they heard through the door… "Hey Catherine! It's Ryan. I've got Mikey."

Jenny quickly broke away, though Gibbs tried to pull her back. "He has a _key_!" She moved towards the door, leaving Jethro to recover behind the counter.

"I'm here, I'm here. Give me a second," she said as she arrived at the door. "Hey Ryan. Mikey!" She took the carrier and immediately put it down on the floor, opening up the little gate so he could come out. "Hey, big guy. I hope you behaved."

Ryan laughed. "I barely saw him but Missy had a ball." He noticed Gibbs standing in the kitchen. "Welcome back."

Gibbs took a deep breath and headed over to shake hands with Ryan. "Good to see you."

Ryan smiled, looking at Jenny. He raised his eyebrows. "So…got anything to tell me?"

Jenny looked at him, a bit confused. Then she saw him glance down at her belly area, which caused her to blush. She reached for Jethro's hand. "Yes, we're expecting."

Ryan was beaming. "That is the best news I've heard in ages, congratulations!" He gave Jenny a hug and shook Gibbs' hand again. "I honestly couldn't be happier for you both."

Gibbs put his arm around Jenny. "Thanks."

"Well, I guess I should let you two settle in. Mary called and told me you were back, so I thought I'd surprise you and bring back Mikey. You know, one less thing to worry about."

Jenny nodded. "Thanks, Ry. We'll have you and Missy over for dinner soon. Give her a hug for me, okay? And thanks for watching the big guy."

"Our pleasure. See you two later."

Jenny shut the door and set the alarm. She turned around and saw the hungry look on Jethro's face. She squealed and quickly ran up the stairs with him chasing after her. He caught up with her in the bedroom and tackled her on the bed, the two of them laughing, trying to catch their breath.

They laid there and stared into each other's eyes. Jethro turned on his side, propping his head up on his hand. He ran his fingers down her face. "You are so damn beautiful, Jen. You are the most exciting, incredible woman I have ever known. Do you hear that? Do you believe me?"

She turned on her side and propped her head up with her hand. She took her fingers and threaded them through his hair, smoothing it out. "You know what I believe? I believe if you're not naked momentarily, making love to me, I'm going to be screaming your name and not in a good way."

"Uh no. That was not an answer to what I just asked." He looked down and watched her fingers delicately start to unbutton his shirt.

She sat up and looked in his eyes as she slowly began to unbutton her blouse. "I do believe you, Jethro. With all my heart. Now sit up so I can remove your shirt."

He smiled as he quickly sat up and removed his shirts for her.

She stared at his chest, his muscles rippling with the movement. As soon as he was upright, she moved to his lap, running her hands all over his chest, caressing his biceps. "It is truly sinful how beautiful your body is, Jethro," she said as she placed kisses on his chest. "No man has ever turned me on the way you do."

In a flash he had her bra off, drinking in the site of her. "Well that makes us even." He touched his fingers gently down her front and then along her bump, smiling. "I swear Munchkin doubled in size from yesterday. I absolutely love seeing the changes in your body, these curves make you even more sexy. How is that possible? It's got to be illegal to be this hot."

She laughed the laugh that made his heart sore. "Maybe you should arrest me."

He took her wrists, placing them carefully behind her back as he planted kisses down her neck, making her moan. "If only I brought my cuffs."

He let go of her wrists in order to help her slip out of her pants before he did the same. He did his best to draw things out, wanting to savor every moment, every touch, every movement - until he took her to the point of fulfilling her request - making her scream his name.

Both satiated, she collapsed on top of him, allowing him to envelop her in his arms as he waited for her breathing to even out.

"I love make-up sex," he panted, running one hand over her back and the other in her hair.

She smiled, her cheek feeling his warmth and his beating heart. "That implies we made up."

"We didn't?" He was confused.

She kissed his chest before lifting her head up to look at him. "We reaffirmed we love each other. But we didn't resolve what's going on in here," she said, pointing to his heart.

"Jennnnnnnnnnnnnn."

"How can you sound so frustrated after the amazing sex we just had?"

He looked at her, smirking and all he could do was shake his head. "Well, as long as leaving it unresolved doesn't mean I can't lay in bed with your naked body, well then… fine."

He watched as she slid off him onto her side. He curled around her, spooning her, his hand resting over her bump.

She leaned back against him, grateful to be in his arms. "Just promise me that you won't shut me out, that we can try to work through this. I know you don't understand why this is important to me, but know that it is. I think it's important for all of us," she said, placing her hand over his and caressing their baby.

He knew it was important to her and while he tried to understand, he didn't completely. But he also knew he'd never deny her anything, especially if she thought it was in the best interest of their baby, whom he was falling more in love with every day - just as he was with its mommy.


	77. Chapter 77

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! I love hearing what you guys think!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was later that same night. Ziva, Abby and McGee were gathered at Tony's place for pizza and conversation.

"Is it just me, or have the last few days been completely surreal?"

"I'm with you, Tony. I still can't believe Gibbs kissed her right in front of us," marveled McGee. "But they were sweet together."

"You don't use 'sweet' and 'Gibbs' in the same sentence, Probie. It's like using 'sweet' and 'Mary' in the same sentence. It just shouldn't be done."

"Gibbs is human. He deserves happiness," smiled Abby.

"Gibbs is human? Since when?"

Ziva laughed at Tony. "He must be. Because together they are having another little human."

Tony rolled his eyes. "If that isn't mind blowing, I don't know what is. How long do you give it before Gibbs' Mini Me is ordering us around? 'Get me my teddy bear now, DiNozzo!'"

The other three laughed.

Gibbs listened to her fits of laughter.

"Stop tickling me, Jethro. I'm warning you," she said playfully, keeping him at arm's length.

"I can't help it, Jenny. I love hearing you laugh."

"There are other ways to hear it, you know."

"But this one involves touching you," he said, pulling her body closer. They hadn't budged from bed and that was just the way Gibbs liked it.

"Well if you want to keep touching me, I suggest you learn to resist the urge."

He started kissing her neck. "Don't you know I'm incapable of resisting any urges that involve touching you."

She closed her eyes, leaning her head back to give him more access to her neck. She threaded her fingers in his hair, moaning as he reached that sensitive spot he knew drove her crazy. He quickly took advantage of her open mouth to kiss her passionately.

"They were quite passionate because they had been apart for so long, yes?"

McGee nodded at Ziva. "And I guess we now know why Gibbs was in such a foul mood the last few months."

Tony turned serious. "It must have been hard to be away from her, knowing she was pregnant and in danger. I'm surprised he was able to function at all."

Ziva nodded. "He was going through hell. He wanted to take a leave of absence pretty soon after he returned but he was turned down."

"Aw, poor Gibbs," insisted Abby. "That must have totally sucked."

"How did Jenny seem to you guys?" wondered Tony. "I spoke with Mary a bit driving her around and she kept alluding to Jenny having been through a really hard time."

"It was strange. She seemed very different from her days as director - more casual, easygoing – and really nice. Nice was not a word I would have used back then," offered Tim.

"They both seemed different, more mellow. I suppose being in love changed them?" suggested Ziva.

"All I know is when I saw Gibbs talking to her stomach, I kept looking for Rod Serling to come out from behind them – 'You've entered another dimension, where nothing makes sense and people you know behave in ways you never saw coming.'"

His three friends stared at him blankly.

"Come on people! None of you know 'The Twilight Zone' – one of the greatest TV shows of all time?"

"Hey, little one. It's your daddy."

Jenny was wearing a pair of elastic shorts and a tank top. She wanted to be eating healthy but since neither of them felt like going to the supermarket, Chinese delivery had to suffice. She was happily eating a chicken and vegetable dish in the kitchen, near the counter, when she looked down to see Jethro, wearing sweats, kneeling on the ground, talking to her stomach.

He lifted up her tank top and lowered her shorts, placing his hands on her lower stomach. "I want you to know, I'm not going anywhere. You and Mommy are stuck with me from now on."

Jenny took a bite of food. "We're both very happy about that but you know," she said, swallowing. "Munchkin could probably hear you through my clothes." She saw the hurt look on his face. "Jethro, your hands are cold. Stand up."

When he did, she took the chopsticks and gave him a bite from her carton. "So tell me about your dad. I didn't even know he was still alive."

Gibbs grabbed his carton and chopsticks and started eating. "We reconciled this past year."

Jenny stopped eating and looked at him. "After how long?" He kept eating and didn't say anything. "Jethro?"

He put his food down. He was a bit nervous about Jenny's reaction but he figured she wasn't about to let this go. "He brought a date to Shannon and Kelly's funeral."

She waited to see if he offered anything else but when he didn't, she simply put her food down and went into his arms. "I'm sorry you went through that."

Gibbs was relieved. He was afraid bringing up Shannon's name would open up that conversation thread once again. But instead she showed him unconditional support and he loved her even more for it.

She felt him relax in her arms, "I hope I get to meet him some day."

"You will. I wish I could have told him about us. I just didn't feel it was safe." He let go of her, grabbed their cartons with the chopsticks and motioned for the stairs.

"I understand – I hate it like I hate everything having to do with this situation, but I do understand." She grabbed their drinks and followed him upstairs.

"If I were in Jenny's situation and had to walk away from all of you and my job, I'd probably go crazy." Abby shuddered just at the thought of it.

"And now the Boss is stuck in it as well. He has me taking care of his getting his house repaired."

Tony laughed. "Look at it this way, Probie. You'll be able to add general contractor to your list of skills on your resume."

Ziva looked confused. "What _will_ Gibbs be doing for a living there?"

"He'll be driving." Tony saw their confused looks. "Driving Jenny crazy."

"Have you given any thought to what you want to do while you're here? For work, I mean."

Gibbs took his last bite of food and set the carton and chopsticks down on the nightstand. "Yes, I have given it a lot of thought."

"And?"

"I have no idea."

She laughed as she set her own carton down on the nightstand. She climbed onto his lap, facing him. He drew his knees up for her to lean back against. "Maybe you should talk with Mary or Ryan. They might have some ideas."

"I was going to call Ryan when you went back to work. Maybe he needs some help with his business."

She ran her fingertips over his stomach muscles. "Working with your hands – that would be incredibly sexy. I always loved watching your body, your muscles as you worked on your boat."

He smiled. "Really? And here I thought it used to drive you crazy."

"Only because you wouldn't speak to me. And I love the sound of your voice. You talk to me a lot more now. It's been incredible."

He grabbed the bottom of her tank top and lifted it over her head. "I still prefer it when we don't talk."

"Did anyone talk to Gibbs about the baby? Is he excited?"

Tony motioned to McGee. "We did, Abby. When you ladies were having your stitch and bitch in the lab."

Abby smirked. "And?"

McGee was pensive. "He seemed a bit worried but also very excited. He definitely seemed to be focused on the baby's health."

"Jenny was as well. She implied it was because of her age," added Ziva.

Tony nodded. "That makes sense. She _is_ over 40. OK, people. We'll let them worry about the baby – we need to make sure we do our part to keep them safe."

"I feel so safe in your arms, like nothing else matters."

Gibbs was propped up on their sea of pillows, his arms around Jenny with her head over his heart, her hand beside it. "This moment, knowing we'd have this again, is what got me through.

"Me too. Part of me still can't believe that this is really happening. You're really here. You aren't leaving?"

He ran his hands over her bare back, through her hair. "I don't even want to leave this bed. Funny that back there I felt like I was sleepwalking, totally out of it. Now that I'm in bed, I feel more awake, more alive."

She propped herself up to look at him. "I believe that's called irony."

"Not doppelganger?" he teased.

"Definitely not."


	78. Chapter 78

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews! I love hearing what you guys think! Sorry about the confusion with the switching between scenes. It's a style I used to love to use on another project - having the first line of the next scene be a voice over in the previous scene (like some shows, even NCIS, sometimes do), but since it's too confusing, I'll probably refrain from that in the future. And I want to welcome home Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs from France!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

They had been back from D.C. now for a few weeks. Jenny was 18 weeks along, enduring the usual things one has to at her stage of pregnancy.

Gibbs immediately set to work installing some of the 'toys' McGee gave him on the outside of the house and elsewhere. After he completed that project, he began working with Ryan on various projects and enjoying their time together. As chatty as Ryan could be when they were all together, he wasn't that way on a job, which was appreciated by one quiet special agent.

The two friends sat down to have lunch, which was usually the only time they indulged in conversation.

"How are things going with Catherine's pregnancy? Have the cravings or backaches started?"

Gibbs took a swig of his coffee. "Definitely the backaches. And last night she woke up with pain in her calf, so I massaged it for a little while until she was able to fall back to sleep."

Ryan smiled. "I remember nights like that. It's moments like those that make you feel like you're really a part of the pregnancy."

Gibbs nodded.

Ryan hesitated before he said his next thought, but he was worried. "How is she handling being pregnant? Has she been nervous or able to enjoy it?" He saw the quizzical look on Gibbs' face. "It's just that I figured it must have brought up memories of the last time she was pregnant."

Gibbs tried to hide his surprise. "She told you about that?"

"Oh man, sorry. I didn't realize you didn't know."

Gibbs sighed, scrubbing his hand down his face. "It's okay. Can I ask how you found out?"

Ryan became very quiet. "She hadn't shown up to group. I was worried, so I drove over to the house. I had Mary meet me there, since I knew she had a key and the code."

Gibbs didn't even realize he was holding his breath. His heart rate increased because he dreaded hearing what Ryan was revealing even though he needed to hear it. For once he was appreciating Ryan's chatty nature. "What happened?"

Ryan sighed. "I'm going to tell you because I think it will help you understand what she's been through and I don't want her to have to relive it in order to tell you herself."

Gibbs nodded, concerned.

"We finally found her in the backyard, sleeping in fetal position next to the steps which she had smashed to bits. It was obvious she'd cried herself to sleep."

Gibbs swallowed hard, his eyes a bit misty.

"We woke her up and asked what happened. She didn't want to say anything, but I pushed and pushed because I knew it couldn't be healthy for her to keep it inside. She told us about how she'd miscarried your child and that she had never dealt with it until that afternoon, when something random happened that just flashed her back. The memory flattened her emotionally. Mary left us to talk and later that evening was the first time Catherine zoned out on me."

Gibbs closed his eyes, imagining what it must have been like for Jenny, his heart hurting. "Thanks for telling me." It had answered a few questions he'd had but hadn't wanted to ask Jenny about.

Ryan nodded. "So is she okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Ryan went back to their project, leaving Gibbs with his thoughts. He worked the rest of the day, his hands offering relief from the overload his brain was feeling. He wanted to do something special for Jenny, so on the way home he stopped off at a jewelry store. He found what he wanted and had the jeweler wrap it up in two boxes.

When he got home, he found her in the kitchen making a salad, and he could smell chicken baking in the oven. Gibbs knew being domestic did not come easy to Jenny. She'd always had someone around doing those kinds of things for her, but lately she had been trying out recipes and enjoying herself. He figured it was the nesting instinct that pregnancy brought on.

Jenny heard the door close and smiled when she saw him. "Welcome home," she said as she walked over to kiss him hello. He loved that there was no mistaking that she was pregnant now. She kissed him hello and then turned to go back to the kitchen but he reached for her arm and pulled her into a hug.

Jenny loved getting hugs from Jethro, but something felt different about this one. "Are you okay?"

He reached for her hand and led her to the couch. Seeing concern in her eyes, he gently caressed her face. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She furrowed her brow. "Did you break something?"

He smiled. "No."

"What's going on?"

"I have a present for you."

"It's not my birthday, it's not Christmas… it's not even Mother's Day." Her face fell. "Did you cheat on me?"

He rolled his eyes in mock outrage. "Is my getting you a gift that shocking?"

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you want it or not?"

She smiled widely. "Yes, I'm sorry." She saw his eyebrows rise as he was about to indulge in his usual admonishment. "Don't say it."

"Hold out your hand." He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a little wrapped gift box and placed it in her hand.

She removed the wrapping paper and carefully lifted off the lid to reveal a delicate charm bracelet. "It's beautiful, Jethro. I love it."

"I have a few charms to start you off." He smiled as her eyes widened in anticipation. He took out the second box, opened the lid and picked out the first charm he wanted to hand her.

Jenny accepted it in her hand, her smile widening. "A little Eiffel Tower? I love it."

"That's for the start of our love. There wasn't anything for Marseille, so I picked the next best thing."

"This works. I love it." She put the charm on the bracelet, admiring it.

"There's more. Here's your second one."

She looked at him, her heart melting. "A teddy bear? Is this for Munchkin?" He nodded. "That's so sweet."

He held the last one in his hand and set the box aside. He didn't give it to her right away, his demeanor turning serious.

She noticed the change in him and became curious. "Jethro?"

He took her hand and gently put the last charm in it. He saw her confusion as she examined it. "It's a pomegranate."

It only took a second for the significance to register. She remained quiet, looking at it. She nodded slowly. "It's perfect," she finally managed.

Jenny ran her finger over it, placing it on the bracelet. She held both ends of the bracelet for Gibbs to take and put on her, which he did. "It's beautiful, Jethro. I love it," she said, kissing him gently on the lips. "So do you want to tell me what happened?"

"What do you mean?" He tried to keep his face unreadable but she was too smart and knew him too well.

She sighed. "Ryan told you that he knew about the miscarriage?" She saw the look in Jethro's eyes. "He told you about finding me, didn't he?"

"Yeah." Gibbs adjusted his position on the couch so he was sitting behind her. He placed one arm over the baby and the other one across her, resting on her shoulder. He used that one to bring her gently against him. "I just wanted to do something for you."

Jenny leaned her head back against him, feeling Jethro bury his face in her hair, her neck. She placed her hands near his, as their baby moved beneath; reaffirming the life created from their love. "You do something for me every day. You make me feel treasured, adored and loved."

She turned her head to face him, lifting her hand to caress his face. Her eyes focused on the charm bracelet, dangling from her wrist. "I love you."

"I love _you_," he said hoarsely, placing his lips on her temple, running them down to her jaw line.

"Careful. Dinner is in the oven and I will not have you ruining yet another meal because you distracted me with your wanton ways," she teased as he began kissing her ear.

He stopped kissing her. "Fine. You win. How much longer do we have? I want to just sit here, holding you both."

She looked at the clock. "About 10 minutes."

"Good. How's your back?"

"Missing your touch, but that can wait. Give me your hands. Your child wants some attention."

Gibbs put them around her and she placed them under her blouse, so he could feel their baby kicking and she could feel his hands touching her. He rested his cheek next to hers. "God how I love you both."

She closed her eyes, trying to soak in the moment. "We love you, too."


	79. Chapter 79

A/N: A very special shout out must be given today to Talldi for her help! Thank you! And thanks to everyone again for the reviews. Please keep them coming because they help more than you know.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was now 20 weeks into her pregnancy. She and Gibbs were at the doctor for their big appointment. Today they would repeat the Nuchal folds test, and the ultrasound would hopefully tell them if they were having a boy or a girl.

Gibbs could tell Jenny was uncomfortable since she had been told not to go to the bathroom so it would be easier for the tech to see the baby. He held her hand and could feel the tension. They were anxious, hoping for good news. The tech came in and smiled to see them both.

"Hi Catherine, I see you have company with you today."

Jenny smiled. "Jethro, this is Sandy."

Gibbs nodded, shaking her hand.

"So do you two want to find out the sex of your baby?"

Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other, smiling. They had discussed it and decided it would help tremendously with their planning to know the sex, so Jenny nodded.

"Excellent. Let's see if your little one feels like cooperating. And you're also repeating the Nuchal folds test, right?"

Jenny's smile receded as she nodded tightly.

"Relax. I'm going to apply the gel first. Now I'm going to position the sensor. Jethro, as Catherine knows, this device is called the transducer. I'm going to place it over her abdomen so that your baby's nuchal fold area shows up on the monitor and we can measure the thickness of it."

He looked down at Jenny, squeezing her hand. "You okay?"

She nodded.

Sandy began taking measurements, writing down the results. Jethro and Jenny looked at each other and at her, trying to figure out what was going on. Jethro was trying to gage her reactions but he couldn't read them at all.

"Let me see if I can get you two a clear picture of your little one. What do you think?"

Both looked at the monitor, completely overwhelmed. Jenny saw the amazement on Jethro's face and couldn't stop smiling. He looked at her reaction and was thrilled to see her excitement.

"Can you tell anything, Sandy?" Gibbs couldn't hide his enthusiasm, which moved Jenny, her joy apparent.

Sandy loved seeing expectant parents. It was the best part of her job. "Looks like you two are having a little girl." She looked at the twosome, their eyes lighting up - the love between them evident.

Gibbs, still gripping Jenny's hand, leaned down and kissed her lips. "We're having a little girl."

"So you're okay with that?" Jenny had been a bit concerned about how he'd react if they were having a girl. But the look on his face instantly put her mind at ease.

"I'm more than okay. I couldn't be happier. I hope she looks just like you," he said, his eyes full of love.

Jenny took his hand to her lips and kissed it.

Sandy smiled at them both. "I'm going to get your doctor. It'll probably be a few minutes so if you want to take a seat, Jethro, go ahead."

Gibbs grabbed the nearby chair on wheels and scooted it closer to Jenny. "We're going to have a daughter!"

Jenny laughed, thrilled by his excitement. "A daughter," she repeated to herself, unable to stop smiling. That is, until Jethro took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. She broke away from his kiss when it started to heat up. "Isn't that what landed us here in the first place?"

"How do you feel about this? Were you wanting a son or daughter?"

She caressed his face. "I kept telling myself that it didn't matter as long as the baby was healthy. I had dreams both ways."

"Dreams? Like what?"

Jenny got a wistful look in her eyes. "I loved picturing you throwing a ball around with your son but then I pictured you with her little fingers curled around one of yours, looking at you like you're her hero and you looking at her like she hung the moon. What about you?"

"I had similar images in my head. While little girls hold a very special place in my heart, I remember moments - like with Zach, teaching him how to sand the boat."

Jenny smiled. "Right, Zach. You were so cute with him down in your basement."

Gibbs allowed his mind to drift back to that night. "You walked down those stairs and my heart skipped a beat. You looked so beautiful."

"Really?" she smiled. "I think I had just had a date."

He looked at her. "Didn't care. If Zach hadn't been around, I probably wouldn't have been able to control myself. As gorgeous as you looked in that dress, I was dying to see you out of it." He noticed her mood change, a sadness descend over her. "What?"

"I wonder how many near misses we had, that if only one thing had been different, maybe we would have gotten it together."

"Can't think like that, Jen. What if we had and something happened to blow us even further apart?"

She was pondering his point when the doctor walked in.

"Hi Catherine. Is this your daughter's father?"

"Yes, Monica. This is Gibbs - my daughter's father," she smiled, accentuating the last three words. "I like the sound of that."

Gibbs shook the doctor's hand. "Do you have news for us?"

"Other than the Nuchol Folds test, which was once again inconclusive, everything looks to be proceeding nicely. Her limbs seem to be a normal size, no problems with the kidneys - all good news."

She saw the defeated looks on the expectant parents' faces. "Listen, I realize you were against it but I would like you to reconsider getting an amniocentesis. The possibility of early labor can never be discounted but it is rare and magnesium sulfate can be given to try to suppress it. There are other things it can help with diagnosing too - heart defects, enzyme effects, etc."

Jenny look down, unable to really talk.

Gibbs felt her tense up. "Can we think about it some more and get back to you?" He felt Jenny squeeze his hand in gratitude.

"Of course. Let's go over a few more things."

Gibbs and Jenny listened intently to Monica. Their appointment lasted in total about a half hour and then they headed back home. Jenny had taken the day off from the library, and Ryan had suggested to Gibbs he take the day to be with her.

They went upstairs where Jenny laid down on the bed. Gibbs grabbed some of the extra pillows and put them under her head and also at the end of the bed, propping up her feet. He then went on his side of the bed and laid down on his stomach, facing her.

He took her hand in his. "We heard a lot of great things today, Jen."

She smiled. "We're having a little girl."

"Who will look just like her beautiful mommy."

Gibbs saw a flicker of sadness cross her face, but he knew now wasn't the time to bring up the amnio. "Jen, we can't go there. I thought you were the one who said we have to believe the best until told otherwise."

Jenny looked at the man she loved, his eyes trying to give her strength. She ran her fingers through his hair and felt him melt into her touch, closing his eyes. "I love how you're the one now who is the optimist."

He reached for her hand at his cheek, bringing it to his lips. He looked at her charm bracelet, smiling. "Let me be your strength. Lean on me."

"You won't get tired? There's a lot of extra weight here now," she said, running her hands over the baby.

He moved so he was right next to the baby. He folded back Jenny's blouse to reveal her swelling tummy, caressing it. "I love every extra pound here. I love that you're wearing maternity clothes now." He placed a feathery kiss on her belly.

She snorted. "Really?"

"You know why? Because every one of these steps and extra pounds brings us that much closer to meeting our daughter, which is going to be one the happiest days ever."

Jenny smiled and sat up. "I just adore you. You do know that, right?"

He sat up too, putting his face very close to hers. "I'm not sure. I may need you to prove it."

She laughed. "Oh I will, but first - I really want to let the team know she's a girl. We can make a very quick call, right?"

"Allow me to take care of it." Gibbs grabbed one of the phones that he kept in the nightstand. He dialed a number.

"DiNozzo."

"I will be attending dance recitals."

Gibbs immediately hung up the phone and smiled.

In D.C., Ziva looked over at Tony. "What is with the silly smile on your face?"

He held up his finger, indicating she should be quiet. He dialed a number. "Come up here and bring Ducky."

When Abby and Ducky arrived, they joined Ziva and McGee at Tony's desk.

"Spill it, Tony. What is with the goofy grin?"

"Give me a second and I'll tell you, McUncle. The bosses are having a girl."

Abby's squeal of delight was pretty much echoed by the entire team.

In New Mexico, Jenny was laughing. "You know Abby is probably going crazy right now."

"Yep." He looked in his lover's eyes, feeling more in love with her than ever. "So tell me something, Jenny. When do I get to marry you?"


	80. Chapter 80

A/N: Can't believe we're at Chapter 80 already. CRAZY. Thanks for your support throughout this process - your reviews mean the world to me. Thank you for helping me get here! And please - forgive my descent into Songfic here - indulge me this one time for a special reason. This is the Tuesday chapter, but I'm putting it up early because I have a busy day tomorrow. Enjoy!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"So tell me something, Jenny. When do I get to marry you?"

She lifted her hand up to caress his face. "Depends. Do you want to marry Jenny or Catherine?"

"I don't care. I just want to be able to call you my wife. I'll marry you now as Catherine and when we're back in D.C., I'll marry you again as Jenny. I'll marry you as many times as you want."

"You do like weddings, don't you?" she teased.

"You're the last person I plan on marrying. It can be as many times as you want."

She kissed him softly on the lips. "When were you thinking?"

"Today."

She laughed - until she looked in his eyes and realized he was serious. "How?"

"Leave it all up to me. You just have to pick out something to wear. Give me the go-ahead and I'll have us married in a couple of hours."

"Where? By who? When? Are you crazy?"

He leapt off the bed and started putting his shoes back on. "Backyard, Judge Daily… how's 3 p.m. - no wait, 3:30 so Missy can come too - no wait, let's do it at sunset… and yeah! So?"

She looked at him, her eyes going wide - getting caught up in his enthusiasm. She stood up. "So… I guess we're getting married today."

He carefully scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around. "Yes! God, I love you."

They kissed passionately before Jenny broke away. "OK, no more of that. Not until you've made an honest woman of me."

He reached for her hand. "Come on. We have a date at the County Clerk's Office and the jeweler."

In the car, Jenny called Mary. "I would really appreciate it if you would be my maid of honor," she said, smiling.

"I'd be honored." Mary opened up her calendar program on her computer. "OK, what's the date?

"This evening."

Mary rolled her eyes. "Of course it is," she sighed. "Where and when do you two crazy kids need me?"

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After they got their marriage license, Gibbs dropped Jenny off to get her hair and nails done at a place that was right next door to a boutique she loved. Mary agreed to meet her there and take her back to the house afterwards while he returned home to make some phone calls and to get the backyard prepared.

"Ryan, it's Gibbs."

"How'd it go today?"

"We're having a girl."

Ryan shook his fist in a little cheer. "Yes! Girls are the best."

Gibbs smiled. "But that's not why I'm calling. We're getting married today. Need a best man."

Ryan was in shock. "Wow. I'd be honored. That's… quick."

Gibbs genuinely laughed. "You got that right. Also, think Missy would like to be our flower girl?"

"I think that would make her year, are you kidding? What else do you need from me?"

"Could you pick up Judge Daily on your way? He's thrilled to do it and then said I could pay him back by building another chair for the table set we made."

Ryan laughed.

Jenny returned a couple of hours later with Mary, who made Gibbs go outside until Jenny got up the stairs. He had to laugh that she was trying to maintain a custom that they had shot to hell a few hours earlier. Soon after, Ryan and Missy arrived.

Gibbs looked at the two, confused. "You're awfully early, aren't you? And where's Judge Daily?"

Ryan, dressed in a dark suit and tie, laughed. "I'm not staying. Missy has some things she wants to go over with you and Catherine, so she wanted to come by early."

Gibbs smiled. "I love your dress, Missy. I think lavender is Catherine's favorite color."

Missy smiled. "Thanks, Gibbs. It is. She bought it for me to wear at my Daddy & Me dance. You and I have some business to attend to. Dad, where's your boom box?"

"Right, almost forgot to bring it in. I'll go get it." Ryan ran back to his truck and brought it out to the backyard, setting it up on the end table before he turned around to head back home.

Missy started to unzip her backpack. "OK, Gibbs, here are few of my CDs and a few of my dad's. We need to choose the music for the ceremony. I also brought my camera. I'll be taking the pictures unless you have someone else."

Gibbs shook his head. "That would be great, thank you." He was touched by how serious she was about it all. "Do you have any suggestions? I'm not very good at music."

"Come outside with me. I'll play a few for you." Missy took his hand and led him outside.

Up in their bedroom, Jenny glanced out the window and saw Missy leading Jethro outside by the hand. The image warmed her heart so completely.

Mary saw her. "Don't cry; I can't redo your makeup and you don't want what they did at the salon to go to waste. Now get over here and let's get this dress on you."

Jenny smiled. "This is so out of your comfort zone isn't it?" One look at Mary's face answered that question. "Well, I appreciate your help even more then."

After Gibbs picked out two songs, Missy burned them to a different CD along with some Mozart to be background music for the ceremony. When she was done, she popped it out and placed it in the boom box outside, pleased with herself. She then took her camera upstairs and grabbed some shots of Jenny and Mary getting ready.

A little while later, Gibbs went to the fridge and pulled out some flowers for Missy, plus some extras for outside.

"What are you doing with those, Gibbs?"

"Follow me." He led Missy outside and together they pulled the petals off of the white roses to outline a path to where the ceremony would take place.

"This looks terrific. Not bad, Gibbs. Not bad at all."

He laughed at Missy's words, grateful to have the young girl's help, and hoping their own daughter would be even half as amusing as Ryan's.

"Dad's here! We must be close," she said as she ran inside to let her dad and the judge in the house. Gibbs looked around, amazed at what they accomplished in such a short time. He turned around and went inside to welcome their guests and shake the judge's hand. "Thank you for helping us out."

The judge nodded. "It's my pleasure. Should we take our places?"

Gibbs was dressed in his best black suit, wearing a lavender tie with a matching pocket square and a white rose boutonniere. He led his best man and the judge to a spot near the pomegranate tree. He had already moved the plaque behind the stump, out of site from the casual onlooker. Missy, camera in hand, ran upstairs to join Mary and Jenny, snapping away.

When they made their way down, they stayed inside. Missy ran out, took some pictures of the three men and then handed the camera to Ryan to take over. On her way back in, Missy pressed play on the boom box. Paul Stookey's "The Wedding Song" played as Missy headed down the aisle, carrying three white roses tied together with a satin lavender ribbon. Mary was next, actually wearing a pretty black dress, carrying the same arrangement as Missy. She stood across from Ryan.

They turned to face the house, waiting to see Jenny appear.

When she stepped outside, Gibbs mouth dropped to the ground, mesmerized by the sight of his soon-to-be wife. Jenny's hair was just the way he liked it - down - flowing over her shoulders with little sprigs of Baby's Breath weaved in. Her dress was ivory colored, an A-line strapless neckline with spaghetti straps, sleeveless with a beaded bodice. Her bouquet consisted of six white roses, also bound with the same satin lavender ribbon. She locked eyes with Jethro and smiled, pinching herself that the drop dead gorgeous man waiting for her was about to become her husband. She followed the path leading her to Jethro. Once in front of him, he took her hands in his.

Gibbs squeezed her hands. "This is my song for you. It's called 'True Companion.' He looked longingly in her eyes as the song played.

_Baby I've been searching like everybody else_

_Can't say nothing different about myself_

_Sometimes I'm an angel_

_And sometimes I'm cruel_

_And when it comes to love_

_I'm just another fool_

_Yes, I'll climb a mountain_

_I'm gonna swim the sea_

_There ain't no act of god girl_

_Could keep you safe from me_

_My arms are reaching out_

_Out across this canyon_

_I'm asking you to be my true companion_

_True companion_

_True companion_

_So don't you dare and try to walk away_

_I've got my heart set on our wedding day_

_I've got this vision of a girl in white_

_Made my decision that it's you all right_

_And when I take your hand_

_I'll watch my heart set sail_

_I'll take my trembling fingers_

_And I'll lift up your veil_

_Then I'll take you home_

_And with wild abandon_

_Make love to you just like a true companion_

_You are my true companion_

_I got a true companion_

_True companion_

_When the years have done irreparable harm_

_I can see us walking slowly arm in arm_

_Just like the couple on the corner do_

_'cause girl I will always be in love with you_

_And when I look in your eyes_

_I'll still see that spark_

_Until the shadows fall_

_Until the room grows dark_

_Then when I leave this earth_

_I'll be with the angels standin'_

I'll be out there waiting for my true companion

_Just for my true companion_

_True companion_

_True companion_

Jenny felt herself melting, lost in his gorgeous blue eyes. She mouthed, "I love you."

The sun was beginning to set, the sky seemingly drawing colors in the clouds just for them.

Judge Daily welcomed everyone and began the proceedings. "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the presence of God to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony."

Jenny and Gibbs looked into each other's eyes, trying to pay attention to the judge's words, but mostly overwhelmed by the sanctity of the moment. When the judge got to their vows, he looked at them both. "Did you write your own?"

Gibbs spoke to Jenny. "Do you want to wing it or let him take care of it?"

She smiled. "I'm willing to wing it if you are."

The judge looked at Gibbs. "Jethro?"

He nodded, reaching for her hands again. "You have been my greatest adventure from the moment we met. No one has challenged me, excited me or loved me senseless like you."

Jenny loved the last part especially, her eyes lighting up.

He caressed her cheek before continuing. "I vow to love you senseless, through good times and bad, to protect you with my life, to wipe away your tears and do my best not to cause them. This is my vow to you."

"Would you like to get started on the wiping away of tears?"

Gibbs took his thumb and wiped away a few tears from under Jenny's eyes. "I love you."

"I love you," she said.

The judge looked at her. "Catherine, would you like to share your vow?"

She nodded. "When I met you, you were bigger than life – gruff, demanding, hotter than hell."

Jethro laughed.

"You still are. And when you look at me with such love in your eyes, I keep wondering how in the world did I get so lucky? You have saved my life, both figuratively and literally, so many times. I'd say becoming your wife is a dream come true but it's a dream I never allowed myself to have – I couldn't believe something so incredible could happen to me."

Jethro's eyes started to mist up, his heart in his throat.

"Yet here we are. And we're going to have baby girl."

"A baby girl? Awesome!"

Ryan quickly stuck his hand over his daughter's mouth as the others laughed at the young girl's enthusiasm.

Jenny winked at Missy before continuing. "I would say I vow to love you always, but that was a forgone conclusion the moment we met." She shrugged. "I don't know any other way to be. I vow to try to listen rather than judge, to be your safe haven, to protect _you_ with my life, to hold you when you're struggling and most importantly, I vow to never, ever leave you."

The judge then went through the rest of the ceremony and the exchange of rings.

"What God has joined together let no man put asunder. And so, by the power vested in me by the State of New Mexico, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride, Jethro."

"Remember, there's a child present."

Gibbs glared at Mary, making her laugh. "Cover your eyes, Missy." He smiled hearing the young girl's giggles.

Jethro took his wife's face in his hands, wiping away the tears that were starting to drop with his thumbs. He placed a gentle, feathery kiss on her lips, which Jenny quickly deepened, wrapping her arms around his neck. He moved his hands from her face to holding her snugly in his arms.

Missy started snapping more pictures, the sound causing them to break their kiss. She looked at them both. "Trust me, you'll be happy I did this."

Jenny left Gibbs to give Missy a hug. "I already am. Thank you, sweetie."

Missy hugged her friend. "Catherine, I don't like Gibson. I call him Gibbs. Can I call you Mrs. Gibbs?"

Jenny looked from Missy to Jethro, smiling. "Nothing would make me happier."


	81. Chapter 81

A/N: Just a tiny warning that there is serious fluff at the end (probably too much for some; not enough for others). Advance at your own risk. And thanks for your feedback!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs invited their witnesses and flower girl to celebrate with them by having dinner at Lucia's. The judge passed on the festivities, but offered his best to the happy couple.

Missy was excited to be hanging out with the adults at a very fancy restaurant. Dinner was delicious and now the group was relaxing. Missy nursed her Shirley Temple, as did Mrs. Gibbs.

Ryan clinked his glass filled with champage, trying to get those laughing around him to be quiet. Instead Jenny grabbed Gibbs by his tie, drawing him closer and into a kiss. Ryan shot her a look.

Jenny shrugged. "What? I thought it was tradition that if you clinked your glass, it meant that you wanted the bride and groom to kiss?"

"I thought that too, Ry," offered Mary.

Ryan sighed. "No, I wanted your attention so I could do the best man toast. Is that okay?"

"Don't screw it up, Dad."

Missy's missive made everyone but Ryan laugh.

"Watch it, flower girl. You're next," he teased. He lifted up his glass. "Catherine, you've come a long way, baby."

Gibbs put his arm around Jenny, kissing her temple.

"I look at you now and I am happy to say I barely recognize you as the woman I met last year. You're so happy, reunited with the love of your life and now preparing to be a mom. You are truly glowing. And Gibbs, I see the way you look at her and it warms my heart. You both are very dear to me, to us," he said, motioning to Missy. "So to my good friend and his new wife - also affectionately known in my house as Awkward Rebound Girl, here's to a long, wonderful and _healthy_ life together."

The five gathered clinked their various glasses and took a sip before Gibbs reached his hand over to shake Ryan's, thanking him for his wonderful toast. Jenny leaned over Missy and kissed her dear friend.

Everyone stared as Missy stood up. "My turn."

Ryan looked at the others. "Honey, I was kidding. You don't have to give a toast."

"But I want to. Please?"

"Take my turn, Missy," offered Mary.

"You weren't getting a turn."

"I like that you're scared of me, Gibbs."

He shot Mary a teasing look. "But we would love to hear what _you_have to say, Missy."

Jenny saw the trepidation on Ryan's face and smiled at him. She hoped the day would come when her daughter would embarrass her.

The young girl smiled. "Gibbs, you're okay. You've grown on me. Which is good, cause I was ready to hate you for taking Catherine away from me and my dad because I love her a lot. But instead, it's like I gained you too, which is cool. And now you guys are having a little girl and I can't wait! Can I baby-sit her?"

Jenny squeezed her hand. "Only if I can have a hug."

Missy gave her a look as if to say, "Duh!" She hugged Jenny tightly and held her hand up to Gibbs for a high five.

Gibbs looked at Ryan and laughed, his friend looking like he dodged a bullet when he saw Missy finally sit down.

Gibbs put his arm around Jenny again, lightly caressing her back with his fingers. "I'd like to say something."

Jenny's surprise was evident. She placed her hand on his knee, trying to show her support.

"For most of my life, I have been a man of few words. Never saw the point of using 100 of 'em when four would do. But tonight, I don't think I can say enough words to let you all know what your help today meant to us."

Jenny nodded her agreement, before turning back to look adoringly at her husband.

"And I don't think there are enough words to let this woman know how much she means to me or how much I love her." He picked up his glass. "To my _wife_." He took a sip and looked for her lips, allowing her to taste the champagne through his kiss.

"I, on the other hand, love using lots of words," teased Jenny. "Thank you all for your friendship, for your kindness today and the past year - for embracing me and now _my husband_ into your lives. It means more to me than you could possibly know." She turned her gaze to Jethro. "You and I have rarely needed words to communicate," she said, caressing his face. "But," she said looking at the others, "I want all of you to know, our dear friends, that I couldn't have asked for a better man to love me. My whole life, my father was my hero." She looked from Missy to Ryan and smiled. "I thought I was doomed to never fall in love because how could any guy measure up?" She turned back to look at Jethro. "You didn't just reach the bar, you flew past it. You are my hero, my husband." She then gave her husband a gentle kiss.

"Okay, _now_I have to say something."

All eyes turned to Mary. Jenny and Gibbs braced themselves for another of her sarcastic barbs.

She raised her glass. "To second chances and happy endings."

Jenny and Gibbs smiled knowingly at her.

Everyone clinked their glasses again.

Gibbs leaned over to Mary and whispered in her ear, "You old softy."

She leaned over to his ear and whispered, "I'm this close to punching you in the stomach."

He swallowed hard. "Understood."

Dessert arrived and before long, Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs were bidding their guests goodbye. Gibbs didn't even have to ask; Jenny threaded her fingers with his and they walked down the cobblestone street, listening to the music overhead.

After finding a nice spot, Gibbs turned to Jenny. "May I have this first dance, Mrs. Gibbs?"

Jenny smiled. "I thought you'd never ask, Mr. Gibbs."

Frank Sinatra's, "The Way You Look Tonight," was wafting through the air, piped through the outdoor speakers.

Gibbs put one hand around Jenny's waist and with the other he held her hand over his heart. She placed her free hand on his shoulder.

"I can't believe you pulled it off. We are actually married," she marveled.

"Well, Leroy Gibson and Catherine Jones are at least, but I'll take that," he whispered.

They let the music wash over them, dancing cheek to cheek. When that song ended, he looked in her eyes. "Do you want to dance for a little while or go back home?"

She hugged him close, taking his earlobe between her lips, kissing around his ear. "What do you think?"

He took her hand and started leading them back to the car. "I think I want you to continue that when we're home and I've rescued you from that dress."

She laughed, loving that she still had that affect on him. He held the car door open for her, helping her slip inside. He came around his side, sliding in next to her. Gibbs started the car and then drove them home, holding her hand.

When they got to the house, Gibbs wouldn't let her enter. He turned off the alarm and came back for her.

"You're not doing the 'over the threshold' thing again, are you? I'm heavier than I was in D.C."

He glared at her. "I'd tell you to shut up but that wouldn't be very romantic."

Jenny frowned. "No, it wouldn't." She saw him get in position. "Jethro, careful!" she insisted as he picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you okay?"

He smiled as he carried her into the house. He carefully placed her down. "You're not that much heavier."

She leaned past him to set the alarm. "Those are words every woman longs to hear on her wedding night."

"I think I said plenty of other words tonight that every woman _would_ long to hear on her wedding night."

She smiled, taking his hands in hers. "You have me there. You were… pretty incredible."

Gibbs started backing her towards the wall by the stairs. "Reward me." He dropped her hands in favor of caressing her stomach, moving his hands slowly over the baby to her waist, over her backside. She leaned her head back against the wall, melting with every touch of his hand. Seeing her exposed neck, Jethro quickly captured it with his lips, savoring her taste, her smell – running his hands slowly up the length of her body.

She hated how quickly he could get her to lose control and moan, but she loved the feel of his hands roaming all over her body, teasing her until they made their way into her hair. He took her lips, separating them so he could explore her mouth.

She pushed him back, needing to catch her breath. "Are we staying down here or…?"

He started going up the stairs backwards, pulling her up with him.

At the top of the stairs, Jenny went into his arms. "Everything was so magical. It'd be scary what you'd do with _two_ days to plan."

He led his wife to their bedroom. Jethro stood behind her and unzipped the dress, slowly running his fingers delicately down her back. Jenny sucked in her breath, his fingers sending tingling shivers through her. He put his fingers through her straps, encouraging her to step out of it.

Jenny took the dress from him, intent on hanging it up. Jethro's eyes never left her, as he took off his shoes, socks, suit jacket and pants – throwing them to the ground.

Jenny was grateful he left a couple of things for her to remove. She took her time undoing his tie, using it eventually to pull his head down, allowing her to take his lips to hers. She savored his kiss as she unbuttoned his shirt.

He shook it off, leaving her lips only long enough to remove his undershirt. Jenny led him to the bed, pushing him to sit down and standing between his legs. She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling as she felt his hands running up her thighs, until he was able to draw down her slip.

Jenny looked in her husband's eyes, running her finger over his lips. "Do you think married sex is going to be as hot as our living-in-sin sex?"

He lowered her down on him, removing her strapless bra. "Let's find out."

Jethro took his time making love to his wife, feeling like it was a new first for them. Afterwards, she collapsed on top of him, panting.

His own breath was labored, a giant smile on his face. "So, Mrs. Gibbs – what's your verdict on married sex?"

"If that's what it's like to have sex when you're married, what the hell took us so long?"

He voiced his complete agreement, placing a kiss in her hair.

The newlyweds held each other, knowing that - at least for now - they were truly happy and life was darn near perfect.


	82. Chapter 82

A/N: I appreciate those of you who continue to read this story and especially those who continue to leave me reviews/feedback - it helps so much! Also - a special birthday shout-out to AliyahNCIS!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was having a fitful sleep. He was caught in a nightmare… a memory…

_He's looking through a thick file, his mind made up. He reached for the phone, punching in her speed dial number. He heard the click of it being answered._

"_Jenny? Jenny?" _

_Silence._

"_You there?"_

"_No, Boss."_

"_DiNozzo? What's going on? Why are you answering the director's phone?"_

_Silence. _

_He felt it in his gut. Something horrible had happened. "DiNozzo?"_

"_Jenny's dead. Shootout. Four other dead bodies. I'm so sorry."_

_He hung up the phone. He felt the wind knocked out of him - his foundation shattered. He couldn't take any more info, not yet at least. He took a moment to let the reality wash over him before he buried his feelings, his heart - in order to do what had to be done._

Gibbs woke up with a start, sweat coming out of his pores. He raised his left hand up in front of his face, relieved when he saw the wedding band on his ring finger.

"It wasn't a dream, Jethro. You've got yourself wife #5." The realization suddenly hit Jenny. "I'm your _fifth _wife," she said slowly. "What the hell is wrong with you getting married five times?"

He propped himself up on his elbow to look at her, shaking off the last remains of the memory. "Making fun of me never gets old for you, does it?"

She propped herself up on her elbow and thought about it for a second. "Nope. It doesn't."

He rolled his eyes, making her laugh. "Good morning, Mrs. Gibbs."

She leaned over to kiss his lips. "Good morning, husband." She saw his mood darken. "What's wrong?"

He sat up, the sheet falling off him to reveal his chest. "I feel bad about not taking you on a honeymoon adventure."

Jenny felt compelled to sit up too so she could run her hand over his abs - and felt the sweat. She looked at him. "Is that it? Why are you sweating?"

He looked at her and sighed. "Just a bad dream. I'm okay now."

"About Shannon and Kelly?" He shook his head. "What then?" She saw his hesitation. She nodded sadly. "Never mind. It's okay."

He realized not telling her might be worse than opening up. "I was remembering when I found out you'd died."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, Jethro." She took him in her arms, holding him tight. "I'm right here. And I'm not leaving."

He held her close. "I know. I don't know why it happened now."

She pulled back to look at him. "Yesterday was a pretty emotional day."

"But it was a great day," he said, kissing the wedding band on her finger.

"But that wasn't the whole day," she said. "There was the doctor's appointment. I will say, the wedding was probably the most incredible procrastination tool ever, but we should probably talk."

He looked at her, mildly annoyed - dropping his arm from around her waist. "Is that what you think our wedding was to me? A ploy to avoid discussing the amnio?"

She sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"And excuse me if the topic isn't one I want to jump into right now. Damn it, Jen, things were incredible. Why'd you have to bring it up?"

She looked at him, hurt. "Jethro…"

He looked at her and saw that she was on the verge of crying. He closed his eyes, kicking himself. He quickly gathered her in his arms, his chest feeling her tears. "I'm just scared, Jen. I don't know what the right decision is. I don't want to make the wrong choice. Your doctor seemed pretty convinced that we should do this. But can't we take a bit of time to research this?"

"You heard her. Monica wants us to decide as soon as possible."

He scrubbed his hand down his face, frustrated. "Want to take out the pamphlets then?"

She leaned over to her nightstand and took them out, handing one to Jethro while she looked at the other. They took a few minutes to read and then put them down.

"What are you thinking?" Jethro was nervous to go first.

"You first."

_Damn_. He took a deep breath. "Seems like you get a lot of good information from it. The risk is said to be extremely low. It would put our minds at ease. Monica did seem to be pretty insistent that we do it."

"So you want to do it?"

One look at her and he knew that he gave the wrong answer. But he wasn't sure it was wrong. Gibbs feared that _not_ knowing would end up doing more harm than good in so far as stress - on Jenny, on him, on _them_.

"Let's say I'm not ready to completely discount it."

She looked at the clock. "I need to shower."

"Jenny, talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking."

"After the shower."

"Do you want company?"

She tried to smile, but she didn't have it in her. "Not this time. I'll be quick."

He waited and waited. This would have been long even if she hadn't specified she was taking a short one. Gibbs decided to check on her. He slowly opened the door and saw her sitting on the floor of the tub/shower, her knees pulled up with her arms loosely wrapped around them - her head down, crying. He could tell because her shoulders were shaking.

He looked at her, his heart breaking. He slid the door over so he could step inside and sit behind her, pulling her back a bit out of the stream. He pushed her hair away from her face, and then leaned her back against him. "Talk to me, Jen. What's going on?"

She leaned her head against his shoulder but turned it a bit to look at him, her eyes puffy from crying.

He saw the look of terror in her eyes. "What is it?"

"I read the pamphlet, I know all of Monica's reasons make sense - that the chance of it making me miscarry is very slim, but Jethro - I have a really bad feeling about this. I don't want to let anyone near our baby."

The fear in her eyes made his heart hurt, especially when the tears started falling again. He held her trembling body. "Then we won't get one." It was the only choice. While he was famous for following his gut, he knew his wife's instincts were just as powerful.

She looked up at him. "You mean it?"

He nodded. Their eyes locked as he caressed her face. "The last thing I want to do is cause you more stress. If you think this is the right decision, I support you 100%." He felt her body relax, relief written all over her.

She put her hand up to his face, running her thumb over his cheek. "I love you so much. Thank you."

He was incredibly grateful for both of the bundles in his arms. "Have you washed your hair yet?"

She curled up further into a ball, burying herself in his arms. "No."

He reached over for the shampoo, pouring a bit in his hands. She turned her back to him, giving him easier access to her hair. He then slowly started working it through her hair, massaging her scalp, neck and shoulders. Gibbs loved taking care of her like this, running his fingers through her hair.

Jenny was so grateful for her husband. His tender, loving touch sent shivers down her spine. There was something so erotic about the way he made a simple task like washing her hair into an incredible act of love. She leaned back into his touch, releasing an occasional moan. She felt his soapy hands begin to wander away from her shoulders, caressing her entire upper body until they ended up around the baby.

Gibbs then prodded her to move back fully under the stream to rinse her hair, which she did. She returned to him, snuggling in his chest.

"Ready for the conditioner?"

Jenny looked at him, desire in her eyes. She reached her hand into his hair, pulling his head down so the could grab his lips to hers. She wanted to lose herself in his kiss, her mouth demanding his full attention, which he gave readily.

The conditioner would simply have to wait.


	83. Chapter 83

A/N: This is a different kind of chapter, more a slice of life. Probably won't do too many like this so don't worry but for some reason it felt right to do it here. Hope you are still enjoying this story. I'm trying to move it along a bit. A special shoutout to Hopesmom!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny and Gibbs had now survived one month of marriage, and Jenny was 24 weeks along in her pregnancy. Jethro made sure she was eating healthy food - takeout had all but disappeared from their home though there were the occasional barbecue runs, Jethro's favorite of Jenny's cravings.

Gibbs was grateful that Jenny was one of those women for whom pregnancy seemed to increase her desire rather than suppress it, though positions had become somewhat challenging. Of course, in some ways that made things even better. He remembered well how sex can become scarce once the baby is born, so he relished every moment with his sexy wife.

Every morning, Jenny would do her yoga stretching, trying to remain as limber as possible to help with delivery.

Every night, they would walk hand-in-hand around the neighborhood, making sure she was getting plenty of exercise now that kickboxing and other questionable activities at the gym were but a faint memory.

Their evening ritual also included Jenny laying across the swing, her feet propped up while Jethro worked on the crib he was building for their daughter.

Some nights she would read aloud a new book she'd brought home for the baby or sometimes she'd simply play music for her. Most of the time she'd have Mozart on, but sometimes Jenny opted for the mix CD Missy made for her of songs Jenny liked for the baby. Songs from the Beatles, including "Blackbird," the two songs from their wedding, a little bit of Sinatra and of course, "Moon River," which would inevitably cause them to stop whatever they were doing and dance.

Tonight, Jenny wasn't in the mood to read. The doctor's appointment that morning went well, though she could tell Monica was still a bit disappointed they hadn't gone the amnio route. But Mrs. Gibson was a stubborn patient, so the doctor knew to leave well enough alone.

Jenny put on the mix CD, content to lay back and watch her husband sanding with the grain. The baby had grown considerably, and she found herself quite itchy as her skin was stretching. Gibbs looked over and saw her suffering. He shook his head at her before walking inside. He went over to the coffee table where he found the little jar he was looking for.

Gibbs headed back outside and motioned for Jenny to make room for him to sit next to her. He took out the jar of Shea Butter and put some on his fingers. Jenny took the jar from him and smiled, lifting up her blouse to reveal the baby bump. He saw the red marks still there from her scratching and rubbed the moisturizer over it gently, talking to the baby as he did it.

"All your mommy had to do was ask," he admonished.

"I didn't even realize I was doing it until you glared at me," she sighed. "But thank you. That feels much better."

"How's your back? Would you like a massage?"

"I would love one, but how about before bed?"

He smiled. "You're not limited to one per day, you know."

"Thank you. How about if you join us? I was thinking of reading _Goodnight Moon_ to her."

She sat up, making room for him to sit down. She then rested her head on his lap, lifting her hair behind her head so he could run his fingers through it, which she knew he loved. He reached for the book on the end table, near the boom box, and handed it to her. She placed her feet over the arm of the swing. Gibbs then placed her glasses on her head, making her smile.

"Thank you."

He loved listening to her read and how animated her voice became, trying to make the book come alive. Jenny had told him how much books meant to her growing up and he remembered the extensive library she'd had at her Georgetown home. He loved trying to picture a pre-teen Jenny sitting in her father's study, her nose buried in a book that was taking her to another world. He worked his fingers through her hair, making sure it was away from her face or tucked behind her ear.

Jenny tried to get his attention but he was lost in thought. She snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Hey, Daddy - hellooooo."

He snapped out of his reverie. "What?"

She laughed. "Want a turn reading to Munchkin?"

He took the book and motioned for her to sit on his lap, which she did willingly, placing her arm around his neck. He opened the book and started squinting to see the print. He then looked at her.

Jenny took off her glasses and handed them to him. He put them on and kissed her briefly on the lips before he started reading. He had his left arm around her, holding the book and his right hand on top of the baby bump, making gentle little circles. She rested her head on his chest, feeling the vibration as he read aloud.

After hearing his first sentence, the baby made herself known, making Jethro smile.  
"Was she doing that while you were reading?"

"No, she's showing off for Daddy. And so it begins."

"Ha!" He was feeling awfully proud of himself. He continued reading, doing his best to be animated like Jenny. Gibbs enjoyed bonding with his daughter, trying to connect as best he could while she was growing inside his wife. By the time he finished reading, he had an unexpected result on his hands. Jenny had fallen asleep. He tossed the book on the table, took the glasses off and stuck them in his shirt pocket and then enjoyed simply watching her sleep for a little bit.

Gibbs had many thoughts going through his head. He knew to savor every moment they had in New Mexico, where they were living a slower kind of life. D.C. would never have afforded them this kind of time together and he found himself grateful, in a strange way, for the way things had turned out.

He held her close, breathing in the scent of her - still overwhelmed that this was actually his life.

Gibbs thought he was doomed to lead a tragic life of regret. Regret that he couldn't save Shannon and Kelly. Regret that he had ruined the lives of three women by marrying them when he had no business doing so, using them to try to fill the hole in his heart from losing the two women he truly loved. Regret that he had never chased after Jenny when she left him that Dear John note. Regret that when she walked back into his life, he spent three years caring for his stubborn pride rather than caring for her. And regret that he hadn't been there to save her when she had seemingly laid down her life to protect him.

His life, filled with darkness, was now full of possibilities. He was married to the most incredible woman he'd ever known. They were more than halfway to having their daughter. And here she was, the most beautiful woman in the world, asleep in his arms. He looked down at her with love in his eyes. She stirred, looked up at him and burped.

"Sorry. Damn heartburn."

He smiled to himself. _That's my wife._ And he couldn't be happier.


	84. Chapter 84

A/N: Please keep the feedback coming - it really helps to keep me motivated. Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing - you are all amazing in my book!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was now 27 weeks into her pregnancy. At Gibbs suggestion, she'd cut back on her daily hours at the library. They had gotten the name of a childbirth coach, not wanting to be around a crowd. The crib was ready and Jenny absolutely loved it.

Gibbs knew Jenny was feeling antsy and figured Mary's particular brand of charm might be what she needed, so he asked the U.S. Marshal over to hang out.

Dinner had gone well and now the threesome were seated in the living room. Jenny was on the couch with her feet up on a pillow that was laying on the coffee table while Mary and Gibbs sat in chairs across from her.

"How's the parasite doing?"

Jenny smirked, shaking her head at Mary. "She's growing but I think I've run out of room because I swear she's shoving all my organs out my bellybutton." She then winced, holding her back and massaging it.

Mary looked at her and cringed. "Yeah, gotta say you're not making me jealous here." She turned her attention to Gibbs. "Bet you're awfully glad to be the man."

He looked at Jenny and then back to Mary. "Don't ask me questions that could get me in trouble, okay?"

Mary laughed. "So are you getting in trouble a lot?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow, curious to hear his answer as well.

Gibbs stood up. "I think I need a beer. Can I get you one Mary?" She nodded. "Dear," he teased, "what can I get you?"

"Bourbon. A full glass."

"Tea it is," he said, heading off to the kitchen.

"Oh fine, be that way," Jenny yelled after him, smiling. She turned her attention back to Mary. "Any word on the trial?"

"Still going strong, I'm afraid."

Jenny sighed. "I guess our daughter will be born here, then."

Mary narrowed her eyes. "What's on your mind?"

Jenny shook her head, trying to find the right words. "We have the crib, some books, other essentials but I've hesitated really creating a nursery because I didn't think we'd be in this house to raise her."

Gibbs arrived in time to hear this last part. He put Jenny's tea down near her and handed Mary her beer. "You know, she'll probably be in our room for a while anyway. But if it goes longer than that, we can always put something together." He saw the look on her face. "OK, or we can bring everything we get her with us back to D.C. if you want."

"Great. Just great." Jenny stood up and started pacing, her hand on her back. "Is it too much to ask that I get to feel settled somewhere? I know I'm not but I still feel, at least mentally, like I'm living out of a damn suitcase."

Mary and Gibbs exchanged confused looks. Gibbs just sat back and threw his hands up. The U.S. Marshal quickly realized he'd obviously been dealing with Jenny's mood for a while now and was beginning to understand why Gibbs wanted her over.

"Listen Catherine -"

"F**k that Catherine shit, Mary, we're alone in this house."

Mary sighed, shooting an obviously indulgent Gibbs a look. "Fine. _Jenny_, sit down and relax. We can talk this out."

"What's to talk out? Nothing's going to change. It is what it is…owwww."

Gibbs was up in a flash and at her side. "Are you okay?"

She took a few deep breaths, swatted him away and went to sit back down.

"Jen!"

"Oh calm down, Jethro. It's just Braxton Hicks."

Mary looked at her. "How do you tell the difference?"

Jenny made a face. "I read somewhere that if it's hard, it's the real thing - if it's kind of squishy, it's not."

Both Gibbs and Mary looked at her confused.

Jenny reached for her tea. "Touch your nose." She saw their hesitation. "I said, touch your nose."

They both immediately did it.

"Kind of squishy, right? Now touch your forehead."

Both immediately did it.

"They say Braxton Hicks are squishy like your nose - labor contractions are hard like your forehead."

Mary still looked confused.

"It's my first kid, cut me slack. I don't have all the answers."

Gibbs sighed. "How about chocolate? Do you want some chocolate?"

"You have to ask?"

He immediately got up and went to the kitchen.

Mary tried not to laugh. "Jenny, what are you doing to him?"

"Don't worry, he likes to feel useful. You want some chocolate too?"

"You have to ask?"

Jenny laughed. "It's been good seeing you. I know I've been flaking out on you a lot lately."

Gibbs walked over and handed both of the women some chocolate before grabbing his beer again and settling down.

"That's okay. I know you've got your hands full." Mary took a bite of chocolate. "So tell me, Gibbs, has your house back in D.C. been fixed?"

Gibbs swallowed. He purposely looked at Mary and avoided Jenny's eyes. "Yeah, I got word last week that everything is completed."

"I didn't know that. When were you planning on telling me?"

Mary took one look at Jenny and realized too late she'd walked into a minefield. She checked her watch. "Oh man, it's that late already. Gotta run."

Thinking, probably mistakenly, that Jenny wouldn't lose it if Mary stuck around, Gibbs tried to signal her to stay. "It's early. You don't want to leave yet."

She looked at Jenny again. "Yeah, I do. Bye!"

He walked her out. "Thanks loads."

She was part way down the walk when she looked back, "Yeah, totally my bad. I suck. Good luck!"

He watched her go, his back feeling like it was on fire from holes he knew Jenny was boring through him with her glare. He took a deep breath, closed the door and set the alarm.

She waited for him to turn around. "Am I that scary?"

Now he felt like an idiot. He turned around to face her. "The last thing I want to do is fight."

She nodded tightly, crossing her arms. "And so you thought _keeping something _like that from me would avoid a fight."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, when you put it that way it does sound like a lame idea."

"Uh huh."

"But I guess we need to discuss this sometime before we end up moving back to D.C."

Her eyes narrowed. "Ya think?"

He hated when she threw his words back at him, no matter how cute she looked doing it. "So we're going to have this conversation again?"

"We've never finished it, Jethro."

He reached for her hand and walked her over to the couch. She sat down and propped her feet up again. He sat down next to her, putting his arm around her so she could curl into his side. If he was going to have to discuss this, he sure as hell was going to make sure he was touching her. He hoped it'd be harder for her to yell at him if he did that.

She took a deep breath. "So your house is fixed."

"Our house." He felt her tense up. "Well, we're married now. So it is. Do you still feel like you can't live there?"

She leaned away, wanting to look at him while they talked. "I don't know anymore. But it disturbs me how badly you want to stay there. It's just a house. Your memories are not stored there, they're stored here," she said, pointing to his heart. "At least if we left, you'd be able to take everything out of there."

"Unlike your house, which I burned down," he said, annoyed by the reminder. "So what is this, Jen? Payback for that?"

She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "You know, sometimes you can be the sweetest man on earth and other times you can be such a bastard."

"So they say."

She scooted away from him and turned herself on the couch to face him, bringing her knees up in front of her as much as she was able, keeping him at a distance. "Tell me something, Jethro. How would you feel if our roles were reversed? If I asked you to come live in the house I shared for a decade with the love of my life - who was not you - his living room, his kitchen, his bedroom where we made love all the time. Would you enjoy walking in that shadow?"

He tried to absorb what she was saying. "You've been in my house a million times, Jen. I never knew that it bothered you."

She sighed, exasperated. "None of those times that I was there was it where I lived. It was where I went to see you. But honestly, I'm not even sure that would have bothered me until I saw how much it meant to you. The look on your face scared me."

He wanted to act like she was crazy, that she was just being paranoid, but he knew the look she saw and what it meant. And he loved her too much to try to worm his way out of it in a way that made it seem like it was her problem. He owed her that much.

"You have to know it took me by surprise too. It was guttural."

"I know." She put her legs down and moved a bit closer to him. "And again, had it been that you couldn't leave because you loved them so much, I might have felt differently but it's the fact that you said you felt like you were abandoning them all over again - that freaked me out. Why would you think that?"

He looked down, ashamed. "I wasn't here for them when they needed me most."

"But, Jethro - that's not abandoning them. You had orders and you were following them. Did you even know about Shannon witnessing the murder?" He shook his head. "When did you find out?"

"Mike told me after I returned, when he explained to me the details. It all happened so fast. There wasn't time to get word to me before it all went down."

"Because the way you made it sound, it was as if you knew and didn't care. But you didn't know. So why are you blaming yourself?"

He looked at her, not sure what to say.

"If you had known, would you have tried to get back to them?"

"Absolutely," he said forcefully.

"Then again, I ask you, why do you feel it was your fault?"

"Where was my gut? I should have known there was trouble."

The look on his face broke her heart. She moved to his lap, straddling him, their daughter between them. She took him in her arms. "I know I told you that you're my hero, but even heroes have their limits. You loved them with all your heart, as they loved you." She pulled back to look at him. "But trust me, they would be devastated to think you were using them, their memories, to berate yourself."

He looked at her, still unable to speak, to find the words for what he was feeling.

She saw that and looked at him, trying to convey with her eyes all that she needed for him to understand. Finally she asked, "Has anything I said gotten through to you?"

"I don't know," he said sadly, honestly. "But I do know I need to hear how you feel about me. I need to feel your love around me. I need you."

She took his face in her hands, leaned her forehead against his, her warm breath on his face. "You are my _everything_. You are all I've ever needed, ever wanted. I love you senseless. And I never feel more alive than when you're inside me." She crushed her breasts against him as she kissed him, running her bottom lip across his face, making her way to his ear - kissing it, marking it and him as hers before she said huskily, "I'm yours. Take me."

He wanted to do just that. He looked at her with hunger in his eyes. He found her waiting mouth and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.


	85. Chapter 85

A/N: For those who care, a new season of "In Plain Sight" - the show I stole (ahem, borrowed) Mary Shannon from - begins its new season tonight here in the states on USA cable channel. I was never a huge fan but I'm very much looking forward to it now! And watched an old episode the other day with Joe Spano who plays Fornell on NCIS. Made me giggle. Thanks, as always, for the feedback!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs couldn't get enough of his wife. His asking for comfort after their difficult conversation led to some of their most intense lovemaking to date. They were both exhausted but continued to simply make out and cuddle.

Jenny pulled away first, out of breath. "God, I love you," she managed as she put her head down on his sweaty chest. "This couch though… not so much."

He smiled, running his fingers along her spine until they came around to rest on the baby. "Couldn't tell. You wore me out."

"You don't think we're traumatizing our daughter, do you?" she laughed.

"Your screams probably scare the crap out of her. But I love it."

"Yes, I do know how much you love it when I'm vocal," she said, kissing his chest. She sat up a bit, uncomfortable with her current position. Then again most positions were uncomfortable these days.

"Jen, was this your first bout with Braxton Hicks?" He could tell by the look on her face it wasn't. "Was it the first time in front of me?" She continued looking guilty. "Damn it. It was bad enough when you pulled this crap in Europe, but you have to be willing to show pain in front of me now. You can let me see you vulnerable."

"What are you talking about, Jethro? You see me in pain all the time."

"I see you uncomfortable. There's a difference. I'm going to need to know if you're having contractions, and I don't mean after they put the baby in your arms."

She tried not to laugh. "I think you'll know before that." She moved again, trying to get comfortable.

"Hold on a sec." Gibbs situated himself behind Jenny and began massaging from her lower back to her shoulders. "Is that any better?"

"Heaven."

He loved being able to do this for her. He knew being pregnant was taking a toll on her body and certainly her mood, so anything he could do to make her life easier made him happy. He also loved being able to have his hands all over her so any excuse for that was welcomed. He was surprised when he felt her body tensing rather than relaxing. "Jen, what is it?"

She turned to look at him, concern in her eyes. "Something just occurred to me and I'd like to ask you about it, but it's not an easy thing to ask."

"Something tells me it will be even harder to answer."

She nodded. "Probably."

He sighed and then swallowed hard. "What is it?"

"I was imagining what it must have been like for you to hear about their deaths."

He shook his head. "I wish you wouldn't."

She put her hand on his. "I remembered you telling me on the plane how you had practically dared Svetlana to kill you after you thought I'd died… that if Mike hadn't shown up…"

He had a feeling he knew where this was going and he didn't like it. "Jen, just drop it."

She didn't say anything. Instead she looked at him, trying to read his face, his eyes. He had never felt so naked as he did at that moment, unable to block her eyes from seeing into his soul.

"I already know about your wanting to stay in the coma. But I don't really know that much about what put you in the coma - was it something you did to yourself, Jethro?"

"No! That wasn't self inflicted." He saw her relief.

She nodded. But she continued trying to read his face. "But you did consider killing yourself at another point?"

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face before looking at her with pained eyes.

She had her answer. She closed her eyes and sighed, her heart heavy for the man she loved. Jenny wanted to remove his hurts, to free his heart but she knew she didn't have the power. There was only one thing in her power that she could do to alleviate some of the trauma for him and she dug deep within herself to be able to do it for him.

She swallowed hard before she said what she had to say and then she took a deep breath. "If you honestly think that you'll be able to handle having me and our daughter in the same house you shared with Shannon and Kelly, then… I'm willing to live there."

Gibbs was stunned. "I thought it would be too hard because of the U.S. Marshal?"

"I'm trying to be selfless here. Are you trying to talk me out of it?"

He couldn't help but smile. "No. But I don't want you to be miserable in your own home. How about a compromise? We'll move in there and then see what happens. We can re-evaluate things after a month or so?"

She nodded.

He looked at her. "Are you bucking for sainthood or something?"

She snorted. "Sainthood? I was just trying to drop myself down a notch from total bitch."

He let out a laugh. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not a complete idiot. I realize I'm not easy to be around these days - Mary couldn't get out of here fast enough. And you seemed petrified to even face me."

"Don't worry about it. I'll always face you. I just might try to wear a cup when I do."

That made her laugh out loud. "I'm so sorry. Am I really that bad?"

"Nah. Besides," he said, putting his face in her hair, kissing her temple, "you are so worth it."

She smiled. "Yes, but if you weren't getting crazy hot sex, would I still be worth it?"

"Absolutely. But I am, so…"

She laughed, playfully punching him in the shoulder. She then kissed him, falling into his arms once again…

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A few weeks passed and Jenny was now in week 30 of being pregnant. They were upstairs in the bedroom, getting ready to go to sleep but were involved in yet another discussion about the baby. Their bed had become a sea of pillows, an attempt for Jenny to somehow find a comfortable position, which she wasn't very good at finding.

Gibbs was looking at her in her nightgown. Without a word, he stood up and went to the bathroom to get a washcloth.

Jenny looked at him confused and then realized - she looked down and saw that once again, colostrum - the precursor to breast milk - had begun leaking out of her breast. She reached for the towel but he waved her hand away.

"Allow me." He lowered her nightgown past her breast and gently wiped away the liquid. "I can't wait to watch you breastfeed," he said, gently kissing her breast.

"I hope I'm able. I really want to do it."

He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "So have you given any more thought to what we're naming Munchkin - though that can be her middle name. I don't think it works as a first," he said, grinning.

She shook her head, amused by him. "I know we were discussing other names but I was thinking I _would_ like a J name. What do you think?"

Gibbs mulled it over. "You don't think it's too cutesy having us all with J names?" She shook her head. "But definitely not her middle name too because I don't want her being called JJ."

Jenny smiled. "Sounds like you have some definite ideas." She then winced.

"She's playing hopscotch in there again?" Jethro looked concerned.

"Yes, can you please ask her to stop? It's past our bedtime."

He leaned down, caressing the baby. "You need to get some sleep, sweetheart. Mommy's going to make Daddy's life much harder if she doesn't get sleep."

Jenny swatted him. "Be nice."

He looked at his very tired wife. "Hang in there, honey. It's not that much longer."

"Easy for you to say. Your body is still perfect. You can tie your own shoes. Hell, you can see your feet! You can breathe because you don't have someone pushing your lungs up through your nose."

"You know I would trade places with you if I could."

"Oh you'll be making it up to me, don't worry."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why does it sound like I _should_ worry?"

"Because you know me so well."


	86. Chapter 86

A/N: Just wanted to give you all a heads-up that I might start doing updates every other day. This story, while I love it, is taking up way too much of my time and I need to get some other things done. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. It's greatly appreciated!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was now over 33 weeks along in her pregnancy, and it was Thanksgiving. They were invited over to Ryan and Missy's house and asked to bring a dessert, which Gibbs picked up at the bakery the day before. Jenny was relieved to not be the one cooking - almost as relieved as Gibbs, since he was hungry and wanted to be able to actually eat the meal.

They hadn't seen Missy in a while, and her eyes went wide upon seeing Jenny's very pregnant belly.

"Is she kicking, can I touch her?"

Ryan sighed. "How about letting Catherine sit down first?"

"Sorry."

Jenny gave the young girl a hug. "It's okay, come with me." She took her hand and led her over to the couch, where they both sat.

As Jenny guided the young girl's hand to where their daughter was kicking, Gibbs joined Ryan in the kitchen, handing his friend the pie he had in his hand. "Is Mary coming?"

"She might stop by later, but she has family here. Though I imagine they'll be driving her nuts in no time and then maybe she'll stop by," laughed Ryan. "Beer?"

"Thanks." Gibbs turned to watch Jenny with Missy and it warmed his heart.

"So what are you and Gibbs naming the baby?" Missy was still in awe after feeling a little hand or foot tapping her hand.

Jenny shared a look with Jethro. "We're keeping it under wraps until she's born. And right now we're still arguing over a middle name."

"It will _not _be starting with an 'A' no matter how much you like Amelia," insisted Gibbs.

Missy looked confused. "Why?"

Jenny smirked. "Well, her first name begins with a J and Gibbs doesn't want her initials to spell out…"

"JAG," he said, irritated.

Ryan looked at him. "What's wrong with the word JAG?"

Gibbs frowned.

"He hates lawyers," teased Jenny, rolling her eyes.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It didn't take long for Mary to have walked out on her family during an argument and end up at Ryan's. All five were in the great room, watching the football game and relaxing as they waited for the turkey to finish cooking.

Jenny and Gibbs were on the couch with Missy, while Mary and Ryan were on nearby chairs, rooting for opposite teams.

Jethro looked at Jenny and could tell she was uncomfortable. He whispered in her ear, "What can I do for you?"

"Make me feel better." Jenny immediately turned her back to him.

Gibbs smiled, always willing to lend a hand. He worked his hands over her aches and whispered into her ear, "I prefer when I get to touch skin."

She leaned her head back to look at him. "Shush, be good. You'll be rewarded later."

"Music to my ears, lady," he said, kissing the top of her head.

Ryan shot a look at Missy, motioning her off to another room. He then looked at Mary and nodded.

Gibbs and Jenny were oblivious. He was too busy concentrating on her lower back and she was relaxing into his touch, grateful for his magic hands. When she started moaning, he looked at the others and shrugged.

"Ahem."

Jenny and Gibbs turned their attention to Missy, who was standing off to the side.

Missy looked at her father, who nodded for her to begin after he hit the mute button. "We know you had a shower at work, but _we _wanted to get you guys something for your baby."

Jenny was touched. "I don't know what to say."

Missy laughed. "Of course you don't cause you haven't opened it yet. Here. And they're from all of us." She brought over a few boxes for them to unwrap.

Gibbs smiled. "You want us to open these now?" Missy nodded. "Thank you."

"Yes, thank you." Jenny picked up the first box and unwrapped a couple of outfits. "I love these! They're positively adorable."

Missy was beaming. "I picked them out!"

Gibbs smiled. "You have excellent taste."

She handed another one to Gibbs. He unwrapped it and discovered a tiny black biker jacket. He looked at Mary. "You picked this out, didn't you?"

Mary smiled. "Well, I figured it was up to me to make sure your daughter was cool."

Jenny laughed. "I love it!"

Ryan brought over the final present which was a reasonably large box. Jenny's eyes went wide. "Oh you guys…this is all so much! What have you gone and done now?"

Missy was excited. "It's a car seat!"

Gibbs shared a look with Ryan. "This is tremendous. I don't know how we can thank you all enough." He stood up and hugged Ryan and Missy.

He went over to Mary but she held her hand up. "Not a hugger."

"I was just going to say thank you."

After Jenny was finished giving out her thank you hugs, Ryan announced that dinner was ready.

After dinner, they hung out, eating pie, enjoying each other's company. Missy regaled everyone with tales from her school dance the previous week, Mary talked about something fun Marshall had done for her at work and Ryan shared stories of previous Thanksgivings he and Caroline had for Missy when she was little.

Gibbs looked at Jenny and saw that she was beginning to drift off. He looked at Ryan and motioned to his wife. "I think I should probably get her home. Thank you for sharing your Thanksgiving with us and for all of the gifts."

They loaded up the car and headed home. After the gifts were inside, Gibbs helped Jenny upstairs.

He went to the drawer to take out her nightgown and then helped her undress. He put the nightgown over her head and then, from the side, he held her in his arms.

Jenny leaned into him. "This was a really nice day."

"Yes, it was," he said, kissing her head before following her into the bathroom. They brushed their teeth and washed up before heading back to the bedroom. Gibbs quickly shed his clothes down to his boxers and then helped Jenny into bed before joining her.

"I'm feeling a bit guilty, Jethro."

"Why?"

"Missy and Ryan have no idea that we'll be leaving reasonably soon and are getting attached to us and the baby. I feel like such a fraud."

Gibbs situated himself so he could put his arm around her and she could snuggle into his chest. "People move away all the time. We'll be able to keep in touch. They can come visit us."

Jenny sighed. "Jethro, it's not the same. Missy has come to count on me. What was I thinking allowing them to get so close?"

He ran his fingers through her hair, kissing the top of her head. "You needed them, Jenny. You were drowning. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am that you let someone help you. There was a time you never would have done that."

She pulled her head back to look at him. "What do you mean?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You really need me to answer that?"

"I have pregnancy brain, yes I need you to answer that."

He sighed. "You really can't remember a time when you tried to handle things all by yourself - when you could have asked me for help but instead you kept me in the dark?" He waited a few seconds and then said, "Ribbet."

"I can't believe you're bringing that up, especially when I don't have the energy to hit you for it."

"Hit me? What did I say that was wrong?"

"How many times have you been married, Jethro? And you still haven't learned that being right - and pointing that out - doesn't necessarily win you much?"

He gave her words some thought and realized she did make a lot of sense. "I love you."

"Nice save," she smiled.

He ran his fingers along her back, trying to comfort her. "I think you can still be there for Missy. We won't be in a communications blackout any more. She can call you."

Jenny sighed. "I know you're right but I feel she's been through so much already. I hate knowing I'll be adding to it."

"Kids are resilient. She'll be fine. I'm incredibly grateful to her and Ryan for taking care of you. But I'm so glad I get to be the one there for you now."

"When we go back to D.C., we're not going to be able to count on having nights like this. Our lives will be so different."

He kissed her head. "I was thinking about that not too long ago. I'm actually grateful we were here for the pregnancy. Who knows how much I would have seen of it if I'd been having to cover cases."

"But you must miss working at NCIS. We haven't really discussed it. I think I was probably afraid to hear how much."

When he didn't say anything, Jenny pulled away to look in his eyes.

"Of course I miss it but I wouldn't trade this time with you for anything in the world."

She melted, hearing his words. She should be used to it by now but it never ceased to amaze her that the man she'd loved for so long actually loves her too. "When we go back, it's going to be easy for life to get away from us. We're going to have to both commit to making sure our daughter, our family, is our top priority."

He knew what she was getting at. "Jenny, I know there were times the case took over my life but that was because I didn't have a life," he said, cupping her face with his hand. "I know what I have now and I promise you, I know my priorities. I will always come home to you." He kissed her gently on the lips.

"And how do you feel about my working?"

He looked at her surprised. "Do you want to go back to work right away?"

"I don't know but SecNav wanted me to get in touch when all the dust settles. I have no idea what, if anything, he has in mind. I'm curious how you feel about it."

He leaned down to talk to the baby. "Don't worry, sweetheart, Mommy and Daddy will make whatever happens work for you too. We'll get you a little badge and pin it to your biker jacket."

Jenny laughed. "You mean it? You'd be okay with it?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but whatever makes you happy, we'll make it work. If you want to go back to work, that's fine. If you want to be a stay-at-home mom, we can make that work. I just want you happy."

Jenny smiled, slightly surprised. "Wow. I sure know what I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving. How did I get so lucky?"

He looked into her beautiful emerald eyes, his own misting up. He then raked his eyes over her body, his hands splayed across her belly. "How did I?"


	87. Chapter 87

A/N: Special thank you to Talldi and Hopesmom on this chapter info wise and to AliyahNCIS for her beta help. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. It's greatly appreciated! I really hope you guys like this one.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was Christmas Eve day, and Jenny was just shy of 38 weeks pregnant. This past week had her at her wits' end. She was ready to have the baby, and the doctor said it could be any time because of the progress of her cervix. Jenny had heard about a restaurant that served a certain salad that usually brought on labor, and she'd had her first batch of it the previous day at lunch with Mary and today had finished the leftovers. Last night she had a feeling it was starting to work. She couldn't swear what was happening wasn't Braxton Hicks, but by morning she knew the real thing had started. When she tried moving during one of the contractions, the pain didn't cease.

For now, she was trying to keep her mind occupied with something less maddening, keeping an eye on the time. She was folding laundry when she got a phone call.

"It's Mary. I wanted to let you know the trial wrapped up, and they're getting ready for closing arguments."

Jenny's heart rate started to increase. "So this could really be over soon?"

"Maybe in a week, maybe more, maybe less - but yeah."

"Wouldn't that be something."

Mary sensed something different in her charge's voice. "Are you okay?"

Jenny laughed. "I think I'm in labor."

"Oh my God, the salad really worked? Is Gibbs there? Are you heading to the hospital?"

Jenny laughed at her friend's panic. "Not yet. He's out on a last minute job with Ryan for the judge."

"He left while you were in labor?"

Jenny frowned. "I didn't really tell him. I don't want him fussing around me until it's absolutely necessary. We would have just ended up staring at each other all day, waiting for something to happen."

"You're an idiot. Call him."

Right then, Jenny felt another contraction, but this time it was stronger and longer than the others. "OK, maybe you're right. I'll call him."

Jenny tried calling Gibbs but after several rings it went to voicemail. She left him a message to call her. She took a deep breath and dialed Ryan's number. It went to voicemail as well.

Jenny then called her birthing coach, the doula. "Susan, it's Catherine. I think we'll be heading to the hospital in the next couple of hours – I wanted to give you a heads-up."

Susan had asked her how fast the contractions were coming and then suggested that they should probably leave sooner rather than later, probably within an hour or so. She agreed to meet her there, and she'd take care of notifying Monica.

Jenny hung up and then looked at her phone. "Great. Who's going to notify Jethro?" She went to the hall closet, grabbed the bag they'd prepared for the hospital and then tossed it on the chair by the door. She paced back and forth, waiting for his call. She went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water, knowing she needed to keep herself hydrated.

She waited through two more contractions before trying Gibbs again. This time he answered. "Why didn't you call me back?"

"I didn't know you called. Damn phone. What's going on?"

"We're having a baby, you idiot."

"Now?"

"Not this second, but I think you should get here. We should probably leave for the hospital within the hour."

He looked at Ryan, the blood having drained from his face. Ryan recognized the expression and told him to go. "On my way." He hung up. "Oh my God, I'm going to be a father!"

Ryan laughed at him. "Hand me that hammer before you hurt yourself. Go."

Gibbs nodded, a bit dazed. He quickly turned around and ran for his car, making Ryan laugh even harder.

He probably broke land speed records getting back to their house. Jenny saw him arrive

and opened the door.

"You're ready already? How long have you been having contractions?" He saw her right eye twitching before she even had a chance to speak. "Don't even try it," he said, pointing at her eye. "Damn it, Jenny! What is wrong with you?"

"I wasn't positive I was having contractions until this morning."

"You mean to tell me it started last night?" He was incensed.

"Don't yell at me or I will change my mind and we will not be having this child," she said, trying hard to keep a straight face but failing miserably.

But it worked. He couldn't stay mad at her. He got behind her, gently putting his arms around her, placing one of his hands in hers. "Will you stop trying to be so strong? Let me see your pain."

Gibbs got his wish as a particularly strong contraction hit Jenny and she squeezed down on his hand, sucking in her breath.

He quickly let go of her. "I think we should go to the hospital now."

"Susan didn't think we needed to until I had them this hard and fast for an hour."

"I don't mean for you. I think you broke my hand."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Susan was talking to Jenny, helping her with her breathing when Jethro finally joined them, his finger in a splint. Jenny's eyes were wide at seeing him. "Oh no, Jethro. I'm so sorry," she said, trying to not to laugh.

"They told me I should have removed my wedding ring before I held your hand."

Jenny cupped his face. "I really am sorry." She felt him tense up. "Don't worry; we have about one and half minutes before the next one should hit."

He held her close. "I love you so much. Should you be standing?"

"It's good for her as long as she's able," answered Susan.

Jenny took a deep breath and whispered to Jethro. "I'm scared."

"You sure you don't want the epidural?" Gibbs grabbed a washcloth and wiped Jenny's forehead.

"Don't want any added risks. That's my plan. We'll see if I can stick to it."

"We'll work together, Catherine. You can do it," encouraged Susan.

Jenny reached for Jethro's collar, pulling him down so she could talk in his ear. "I meant I'm scared… I hope she's going to be healthy."

He saw the tears forming in her eyes. "We'll love her no matter what. Right?"

Jenny drew strength from his eyes and nodded. "Absolutely. Oh God, here it comes."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Monica was now in Jenny's room, along with Jethro and Susan. Jenny's cervix fully dilated about 20 minutes prior and she'd been pushing like a trooper. Her husband was holding her hand with his good one, trying to encourage her, with Susan helping on the other side.

Jenny was propped up to almost a sitting position, waiting for the next contraction, when she released another scream.

Monica looked at Jenny. "We're almost there. Push for me."

"I'm so tired."

Jethro held back her hair with his bad hand. "You can do it, babe. Push!"

Jenny continued pushing as Susan counted out loud for her.

Monica smiled. "She's crowning."

The contraction subsided and Jenny fell back, exhausted.

Jethro looked in the mirror they had set up so they could see the baby's progress. "Where did her head go?"

"It's a two steps forward, one step back process, Gibbs," Susan said, trying to allay his fears. "Don't worry, her head will be back out again soon."

"Is she okay?" Jenny was looking totally spent.

"She's fine and so are you. Conserve your energy right now," encouraged Susan.

Gibbs continued to use the washcloth to clear away the sweat and hair that was plastered against Jenny's face. "I'm so proud of you. You're doing great."

Jenny looked up at him, her eyes weary. "Happy now? I'm showing you pain," she managed. "Oh God, here we go again."

After another contraction, the baby's head eased out. Monica immediately suctioned out any mucus from her nose and mouth.

Gibbs, in awe, watched as the doctor then helped guide their little one's shoulders and torso out. Next came her little legs.

"She's absolutely perfect, you two," shared Monica. She looked at Jenny, locking eyes. "Perfect."

That was it. Jenny cried, releasing tears of joy after all the stress she'd been holding onto all these months.

Jethro looked at his baby girl, emotion bubbling up in his chest to the point that he almost couldn't breathe. He kissed Jenny's temple. "She's perfect," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

Monica placed her on Jenny's stomach, giving Gibbs the opportunity to cut her umbilical cord.

Jenny looked down at her daughter, love washing over her instantly.

Monica quickly took the baby away and handed her off to the nurse for a brisk rubdown as well as checking her vitals.

While the nurse took care of their little girl, Jenny delivered the placenta. She fell back against the bed, exhausted. She was also impatient to hold her child. Jenny looked at Jethro, almost willing him to do something to speed things up but he was too busy watching the nurse. "I love you and that goofy grin on your face."

He tore his eyes away from their baby to look at his wife. "You did it. You protected her and now she's here and she's perfect. We have a daughter," he said, his eyes getting misty.

The nurse wrapped her up and gave her a cute little hat to stop heat loss. She put some ointment in her eyes to prevent infection and then brought her over to her anxious parents, placing her in Jenny's waiting arms. "She's six pounds, four ounces and 19.5 inches long."

The sight of his wife holding their child, making little cooing noises at her, completely overwhelmed Jethro and he barely managed to hold back the tears. The look of sheer ecstasy on Jenny's face as she touched her daughter's cheek for the first time was what finally sent him over the edge. Jenny glanced at him and saw a few tears trickling down his face, which only set her off to do the same.

He put his arms around them, placing a kiss to Jenny's head and then their little girl's. Jenny turned her head to look at her husband, their eyes saying everything they needed to say. Gibbs placed a gentle kiss on his wife's lips.

Susan looked at the clock on the wall, which was saying it was just past midnight. "Merry Christmas Gibson family. So does the best gift ever have a name?"

Jenny couldn't stop smiling. "I'd like you to meet Julia Michael Gibson."

Susan smiled. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, Julia. I know you mean a great deal to your parents."

Jethro took her little hand in his, his heart melting immediately. "She's _everything_."


	88. Chapter 88

A/N: A HUGE thank you must go to Talldi for her generosity in sharing to make this and several of the other chapters as real as possible. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. Please keep the reviews coming - they help me so much and it's greatly appreciated! By the way, things are going to be kicking into high gear soon as this part of their story, A New Life, comes to an end. The sequel (name to be revealed when this story ends) should begin immediately after.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jethro took her little hand in his, his heart melting immediately. "She's _everything_."

Jenny smiled at her husband and then kissed her daughter's head. "So, Julia, would you like Daddy to hold you now?"

Being mindful of his injured hand, Jenny carefully placed the baby in Jethro's arms.

He looked at her, feelings of love almost overwhelming him. He kissed her nose. "I didn't think Mommy was going to let me hold you until you were 12."

Jenny was beaming. "Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how long I've been fantasizing of this moment, seeing you holding our child in your arms?" She started dabbing at her eyes. "Great, will I ever stop crying?"

He held the baby against his chest, his cheek against her own, closing his eyes. "I love that new kid smell."

Jenny laughed as she gently caressed her daughter, examining the tiny tufts of hair on her almost bald head.

The lactation nurse came in the room. "Would you like to try breastfeeding your baby now?" Jenny nodded. "Daddy, can you hand her back to Mommy?"

Jethro kissed her head before carefully placing Julia back in Jenny's arms. He then kissed his wife's head too before taking a seat right next to her.

The nurse settled on the other side of Jenny, near Susan. "OK, Mommy, you'll need to turn your baby's whole body towards you, chest to chest. Now, touch her upper lip with your nipple. There you go. You're going push down and almost make a compressed nipple so it slides sideways into her little mouth. When she opens her mouth wide, pull her onto your breast – there you go."

Julia then slipped off. "Don't worry, try again," the nurse encouraged. "It takes patience and practice. You might want to hold your breast for support. There you go."

Jethro leaned in to watch, enthralled. "Look at her little cheeks go."

The nurse smiled. "Keep a finger on top so the nipple stays away from her nostrils. That's it."

Jethro watched closely. "How's it feel?"

"A little bit of a burning sensation," Jenny shared, almost speechless. "But also completely incredible," she said in wonderment.

They both sat watching her for a few minutes and then the nurse told Jenny to switch breasts.

After a few minutes on the other breast, the nurse told her to stop. "She has a very tiny tummy right now. She'll be hungry again in a bit but for now, it's time to burp her." She put a towel on Jenny's shoulder. "Rub and gently pat starting here," she said, pointing to her little butt. "OK, pat with just the fingers, no palm, and work your way up her back to between her shoulders. Hold her at the hips against your shoulder, right. And try to lean back just a bit."

Julia succeeded in spitting up, making both of her parents smile.

"Good girl," Jenny said proudly.

Gibbs scrunched up his face. "Oh, that's gross. I forgot about the first time."

The nurse laughed. "I always love seeing parents' reactions."

"You must be exhausted, Catherine. Are you thirsty or hungry? Want me to get you anything?"

Jenny looked at Susan with gratitude. "I'd love a little something to eat and drink, though I'm nervous I'll fall asleep in the middle of a bite."

"I'll go quickly," laughed Susan. "Gibbs?"

"Thanks, Susan. I'll get something when she drifts off."

Susan left and then the nurse took Julia to the nursery to get her situated before bringing her to Jenny once she's back in her room. The new parents were finally alone.

He saw her body relax and knew that sleep wasn't far off. He took her hand in his and rested his other arm over her head, leaning in to kiss her temple. "You are my hero. You were amazing, honey."

"I'm so wrecked right now. I could sleep for a week."

He laughed. "I think you'll be lucky to get a couple of hours. Kiss sleep goodbye for about 18 years."

She smiled. "I'd rather kiss you."

He was pleasantly surprised. Jethro leaned in closer and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you. Should I wait until you're awake to notify people or would you rather me get it out of the way?"

Her eyelids were heavy but she was trying hard to focus. "Call Abby now. I want to hear her scream before I fall asleep. You can do Mike, Ryan and Mary without me."

His eyes lit up as he dialed their favorite Goth. He placed the phone near Jenny's ears so they could both listen.

They heard the phone pick up and then what sounded like it dropping on the floor. "What? I'm here. What's going on?"

Gibbs smiled. "I hate waking you, Abs, but I thought it was worth it."

Abby immediately sprung up awake. "Gibbs!"

"Just wanted to let you know so you could tell the others. Julia Michael Gibbs was born tonight, perfectly healthy… blue eyes and little auburn, brownish hairs on her sweet little head."

Abby screamed.

Gibbs watched as Jenny smiled and then closed her eyes.

"Mommy and baby are doing great. Gotta run. Merry Christmas, Abs. We miss you."

"Oh my God, oh my God. Congrats to you and Jenny! Send her my love and kiss your daughter for me. Can't wait to meet her. Merry Christmas!"

Gibbs smiled as he closed the phone. Now it felt real.

Susan returned with the food but saw she was too late. "It'll keep. You can take it to her room, and she can have it when she wakes up."

Gibbs shook Susan's hand. "I don't how we can thank you enough."

"It helps that I love what I do. We'll be in touch. Take care of them."

He smiled. "Absolutely."

Jenny was soon taken to her room and settled in there. Gibbs brought the food Susan had gotten and put it nearby so that when Jenny woke up, she'd be able to eat and drink.

He watched his wife sleep for a few minutes before he decided to venture out to a vending machine to grab a bite. He stretched his legs a bit and was about to go back in the room when he saw the nurse wheeling Julia towards him. He couldn't stop smiling.

Jethro followed them into the room, where the nurse set her bed up next to Jenny's. "I'll be back in a couple of hours to make sure your wife nurses her again. Get some rest."

He nodded and thanked her. Gibbs moved his chair so it would be next to both of them.

"Hey, Jules, how are you?" he whispered. "Do you have any idea how excited I am that you're finally here?"

His voice woke up Jenny, but she was so exhausted, she couldn't open her eyes. But she did manage to listen, smiling to herself.

"You and I are going to be best buds," he continued. "I want you to know I will always be here for you. I know I'm going to be older than most of your friends' daddies but if anyone ever teases you, you tell them your mom is prettier than all of theirs. If they still bother you, you can tell them I'll arrest their parents for raising a mean kid."

He swore he heard Jenny snort, but when he looked over she appeared to still be sleeping.

Gibbs still couldn't believe that adorable tiny person sleeping there belonged to him and Jenny. He thought back to what his life was like last Christmas. Not in a million years did he ever think a year later he would be head-over-heels in love, married and have a daughter - never mind that the woman in question would be the soul mate he thought was lost to him forever.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Abby was beyond excited. She couldn't wait for everyone to be gathered at Ducky's for Christmas. She looked at her host, McGee, Ziva and Jimmy and could barely contain herself until Tony finally arrived.

"Yay, Tony's here! We're finally all gathered!"

Ducky was used to indulging his co-worker. "Abigail, you look like you're going to burst at the seams. What is going on?"

"I got a call in the middle of the night from Gibbs." That got everyone's attention. "Julia Michael Gibbs has arrived, perfectly healthy, and Mommy and baby are doing great!"

Jimmy, McGee and Tony high-fived each other. Ziva breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, thinking of her friends and how happy they must be.

Ducky sighed, incredibly grateful since he knew about their fears for their child. "This is indeed the season of miracles."


	89. Chapter 89

A/N: This one pretty much wrote itself very quickly last night. I could have held on to it and waited to publish it on my new schedule but then I was like… eh, it's done. Post it. So here you go, sooner than expected. Can't tell you when the next one will come out. Might try to knock out these last few chapters and then perhaps take a week break before the sequel. Who knows. Thanks again to everyone who is kind enough to leave feedback - it really makes me motivated to write and I appreciate it!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny woke up in her hospital bed to find an arm draped over her. She was grateful her husband had gotten some sleep; she just had no idea he was doing so in her bed. But it made her feel incredibly safe and loved, if not a bit crowded.

She gazed a little past his arm to their daughter, who looked like she was getting ready to fuss. _Decisions, decisions. _Should she quickly and gently wake up her husband or watch what happens if Julia does it instead.

As if a sign of things to come, Julia took the decision out of her mommy's hands. She bunched up her little face and her fists and started to unveil her new secret weapon - her lungs.

Jenny held back a laugh as Jethro flew off the bed, running around to quickly comfort their daughter, trying to shush her - a little nervous to pick her up with one and a half hands.

He looked at his wife and saw her eyes wide open, smiling at him. "You're awake? Then why was I rushing over here like a crazy person to quiet her?"

Jenny sat up. "For my amusement?"

He shot her a mock glare. "Apparently."

"Can you wheel her closer? I need to feed her. She cries and it's off to the races for my breasts." She reached down and picked Julia up. It was her first time trying it without a nurse to watch, which actually surprised Jenny because the nurse was usually as tuned into her daughter's cries as her own breasts.

Gibbs was happy to watch them bond. He checked his watch, looking to do his part in the process. After a few minutes he motioned for Jenny to switch.

The nurse walked in and smiled. "I guess I'm no longer needed. Looks like this family has things under control."

"Can you stay and make sure?" Jenny asked, obviously still a bit nervous.

The nurse settled in next to Gibbs, watching Julia. After she saw Gibbs motion that she should probably stop, the nurse suggested, "Daddy, maybe you should do the burping this time."

Jenny looked concerned. "He might need help holding her. His finger's broken."

The nurse looked at him. "Didn't take your ring off during contractions?" He nodded. "Not a problem, I can help. Let's do this, Daddy."

The nurse put a towel on Gibbs' shoulder and then she took Julia from Jenny and placed her in the right position. The nurse watched him. "I'm guessing this isn't your first rodeo."

Jenny looked at him, her smile bittersweet. She hoped the nurse's innocent observation didn't cause her husband any pain.

Jethro relished holding his daughter. "It isn't."

Jenny patted him. "I see bubbles. Good job, Daddy. Do you want me to take her back?"

"No. How about we let Mommy make the phone calls while the two of us hang out next to her?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow. "You're serious? You're going to make me make the calls? Who does that?"

The nurse looked at them both. "I think that's my cue to leave. Have a Merry Christmas."

They both wished her a Merry Christmas before turning to look at each other.

"You were the one worried about my only having one good hand to hold her but she's settled on my shoulder…I'm sure I can hold the phone too."

Jenny shook her head at him. "Or we can wait until she's asleep and then you can put her back down and make the calls."

"Oh. I guess that'll work."

Jenny raised the bed to the seated position and leaned back against it, exasperated. "I'm the one who is supposed to have pregnancy brain."

"Not any more because look who's here," he said in almost a sing-song way. He kissed Julia's cheek several times.

Jenny loved watching their father/daughter moments. "Turn her towards me. Let me see if she's fallen asl - oh yes. She's asleep. You want help putting her down or are you not ready to give her up yet?"

"Do I have to?"

She laughed. "Of course not. You can keep holding her. Is it comfortable for you holding her like that? Would you rather cradle her?"

"Good idea; then I can stare at her too. Help?"

Jenny reached over and maneuvered Julia so that she was able to lay comfortably in his arms. She then reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone. "Fine, I'll make the calls. Who first?"

"Ryan."

Jenny started to dial.

"Honey, remember, you're Catherine," he whispered.

Jenny glared at him.

"You're the one who keeps saying she has pregnancy brain. Just making sure…"

She rolled her eyes. "Hey, Ryan, guess who." She shot her husband another look. "What's that you say, why am I the one making the call?" Jenny smirked. "Crazy isn't it. Right now I can't pry my daughter out of her father's arms." She listened and smiled. "Yes. Her name is Julia Michael. And funny, she's already asked about meeting you and Missy." She laughed. "I know, go figure. Well give us a few days to get her settled in and then we'll have you both over, okay? Talk soon." Jenny closed the phone.

Gibbs stood up. "OK, I'm ready to put her down. You want to just spot me?" She did. He went around the other side of the bed and laid down next to her. "Are you as exhausted as me?"

"I feel so lame. I fed her, made one phone call and I could go right back to sleep," she said turning to face him, handing him the phone.

"You don't want to be the one to call Mary?"

"Mary!" Jenny quickly sat up.

"What?"

Jenny's eyes went wide. "I totally forgot to tell you that when we spoke yesterday, she said the trial was over, they were just waiting on closing arguments. I can't believe I forgot."

"Pregnancy brain."

She nodded. "Pregnancy brain. But great news, right?"

He kissed her gently on the lips. "The best."

"You're going to have to kiss me better than that to wake me up enough so I can handle Mary."

"So demanding," he smiled, doing as she asked. "It's so nice to get close to you again. It's been a long time."

"I know." She kissed him deeply one last time before she stared at the phone. She took a deep breath and dialed.

"What?"

Jenny tried not to laugh. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

Mary was now quite awake. "Well?"

"Julia Michael was born very early Christmas Day, and she's absolutely perfect."

"Awesome!" Mary was surprised how excited she was for her friend. "Michael? After that old fossil?"

Jenny laughed. "Yes."

Mary groused. "I guess it does make her more interesting to have a male middle name. I like it. So are you taking her home in the biker jacket?"

Jenny laughed. "I don't want her intimidating all the other babies with her coolness just yet."

Jethro laughed, knowing exactly what they must be talking about.

"Tell Gibbs how happy I am for you guys, though I'm going to be sad I don't get to see her grow up and drive you both crazy in her teen years. Do you two know when you're heading back?"

"So we can start making plans?"

"I don't see why not. You needed to be available in case they called you back but with closing arguments about to happen, that part of the trial is over. So I'm guessing your lives are your own to risk now without jeopardizing the government's case."

Jenny looked at Gibbs, her face showing her excitement. "I don't know. I guess we'll talk about it and get things rolling soon. I hope you'll visit us in D.C."

"I'd like that. I'm glad you want to keep in touch."

"Are you kidding? I never would have survived this without you."

Mary looked uncomfortable. "OK, now that's not true but thanks. And don't say anything else because you're going to cause me to display feelings and well… that ain't cool."

"Understood. Then I suppose we'll talk soon. Maybe we'll have you all over for a little meet-and-greet and going away party?"

"Just let me know when. Later."

Jenny closed the phone and handed it to Gibbs. "Mike is all yours."

"So we're free to go back to D.C.?" She smiled and nodded. He took her in his arms and held her tight. "Thank God it's finally over."

She leaned back against the bed. "I can't believe it."

Gibbs dialed the phone, calling the cantina. He arranged for the phone to be delivered to Mike with instructions to have him call back.

"Now we wait. Want me to ask about food or do you want to sleep?" He looked at her when she didn't answer and realized Jenny was already asleep. He smiled and laid down next to her.

About an hour later, the phone rang, waking them up. Jethro grabbed it first. "Gibbs."

"Probie! Do you have some good news for me?"

"We have a beautiful little girl, born very early Christmas Day."

"Why am I not surprised Slugger's baby would know how to make an entrance. How's she doing?"

"She's exhausted but she was amazing. Oh you'll love this. She broke my finger during one of the contractions."

Gibbs had to remove the phone from his ear, Mike was laughing so hard.

Jenny shrugged. "I do feel bad about it, at least."

Jethro motioned to the phone, wondering if she wanted to talk with him. She took it.

"You can stop laughing now. It was funny, but not _that_ funny."

"Slugger! I hear congrats are in order. So what'd you name the world's newest heartbreaker?"

She looked at her husband. "You had to make me be the one to tell him?"

"It was your idea."

She turned her attention back to the phone. "Her name is Julia Michael."

"Julia Michael? What kind of name is that for a girl?"

She rolled her eyes. "I wanted to honor the man who helped take care of her and her mother for several months."

"It wasn't bad enough you named that damn rat after me?"

"He's a _cat_, Mike. And how many times do I have to tell you that I didn't name him after you?"

"So you couldn't name a cat after me, but you have a kid - a _girl_ - and suddenly it's okay to name her after me? Make up your mind, woman."

"Acccckkk! Take the phone!" She shoved it at Gibbs, who was laughing, having overheard the exchange.

"Must you drive my wife crazy, Mike?"

"Wife? When did that happen?"

"A few months ago. But we're going to have a real wedding back in D.C. since we're free to move back there now. And I hope you'll come."

"Is that so? Well good for you two. Glad to hear it. And I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Good."

"Jethro?"

"Yeah, Mike?"

The older man swallowed. "Tell Slugger I'm honored."


	90. Chapter 90

A/N: Thanks for all of the great feedback. It's really appreciated. This is a reasonably quick chapter, just setting some stuff up. Not sure when I'll have the next chapter ready but probably not until sometime Sunday. Saturday is very busy for me, which is why I'm putting this up now (Friday night).

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was a great day when Gibbs and Jenny got to bring Julia home. Jenny laughed as her husband made a big show of carrying their daughter over the threshold. For her part, Julia seemed unimpressed, managing only a slight eyelash flutter.

Gibbs passed his daughter off to her mother while he made sure everything was okay in their bedroom. He had already set up the baby monitor, the diaper changing station, the bassinette and more. When he was pleased that it was ready, he spoke into the baby monitor that Jenny could bring her upstairs.

Mommy took great pains to try to point out everything in the room, that was for her, out to Julia - explaining its significance, before she sat down on the bed, slipping her shoes off. Gibbs sat on his side, exhausted.

Jenny swaddled the baby in her blanket, making sure it was nice and cozy, before placing her in the bassinette. She then swung her legs up on the bed.

"She's finally home." Jenny turned on her side and gazed at Gibbs. "Did you think this day would ever happen?"

He looked at her. "You made me believe. You can be a true force of nature when you want to be."

She smiled. "My body still feels completely foreign to me. I think even my fingernails are tired."

He moved closer to Jenny, putting his arms around her. "You're still the most beautiful woman in the world."

She buried her face in his chest. "Honey, I couldn't make love right now even if I had the energy. You know that."

He was indignant. "I meant every word. I wasn't trying to get lucky. I just wanted you to know that no matter what you might think of your body, whether you're thin or nine months pregnant, you're it for me."

She turned to lay on her back. "I guess I'm a pretty lucky woman."

"Yes," he laughed. "No, I'm the lucky one."

Her eyelids were starting to get heavy. "I love you. I have about five minutes left in me before I'm asleep. If you'll let me just lay here, you can kiss me if you want to."

"Oh, I want to," he said. "I love you, too." Gibbs leaned over and kissed her, opening his mouth, hoping she'd follow his lead, which she did. He ran his hands over her body, exploring the constant changes it seemed to be going through. She managed to run her hand through his hair, for a few moments, but then it slid down and he knew she was asleep. He tried not to laugh as he kissed her on her forehead before leaning back himself and going to sleep.

Their routine over the next several days consisted of waking up every few hours to feed Julia, feed themselves, arrange for movers to take their things back to the D.C. house while also trying to find any time they could to sleep.

About four days after Julia was born, the regular breast milk came in, almost doubling the size of Jenny's already larger than normal breasts. Part of her, the sleep-deprived part, was a bit disturbed by how happy it seemed to make Gibbs. All she could think about was how sore she was and seeing his pleasure at what was causing it was starting to piss her off.

He cuddled with her that first night it happened, and she kept trying to push him away.

"Since when does it upset you that I find you so attractive?"

She frowned. "I'd like to think the way my body looks normally would be enough for you. Seeing you get so excited like this - tell me how'd you feel if -"

"No need to go there. I understand."

She smirked.

"But in the meantime, since you are stuck with them like that, is it really a crime for me to enjoy them?"

She rolled her eyes and gave up, tossing her hands in the air. "Fine, have at 'em."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was not looking forward to breaking the news to Missy and Ryan of their departure. She and Gibbs decided to have them over early on New Year's Eve to meet Julia and figured they would find the right moment that evening to explain everything to them. Mary had also agreed to come over.

But Jenny had an errand to run first. She needed to go see her boss at the library and explain that she would not be returning after her maternity leave. She wanted to go in person so she could say goodbye to the friends she had made there. She expressed some milk in case she was delayed so that Jethro could feed Julia.

On her way to the library, Jenny got a call. She clicked her Bluetooth. "Hello."

"Please hold for the Secretary of the Navy."

Jenny quickly pulled over, not wanting to be driving while she had this particular conversation.

Meanwhile at the house, Ryan arrived along with Missy and Mary - they brought the food needed for the night. All were eager to meet the star of the evening.

Gibbs brought her down in her infant seat, dressed in a cute little green onesie that they had gotten for her.

"I can't believe how small she is. Was I that small, Dad?"

"Feels like yesterday." Ryan looked at Gibbs. "She's absolutely adorable. You two must be on cloud nine."

He smiled. "Pretty much."

Gibbs looked over at his daughter and saw Mary staring at her. He couldn't read her expression. "I can save you the trouble, Mary. If you're trying to have a staring contest, you'll win."

"Funny, Gibbs. Actually, there seems to be a lot happening in her little head." Mary took her finger and touched Julia's nose. "Oh how soft are you? Look at those cheeks."

Ryan and Gibbs shared a look, both a bit freaked out.

Mary saw their expressions. "Hey, I am human, guys. But if you tell Marshall this happened, I'm going to have to hurt you both."

The two men held up their hands like they were going to surrender.

Missy looked at her father. "I forgot something I brought for Julia in the car. Can I have the key?"

"Want me to get it?"

"No, I can get it."

Ryan reached in his pocket for the car keys and handed them to his daughter. "They grow up too fast, so enjoy this time."

Gibbs explained that Jenny was out on an errand and would be back very shortly. They put some of the food in the fridge and the rest they laid out on the table.

Gibbs looked at Ryan. "How long does Missy usually take?"

He looked at Gibbs and shrugged. "Get ready for the fun you have with girls."

Gibbs laughed.

Jenny finished saying goodbye to her friends at the library. She was heading out to her car when her phone started to ring. She looked and saw it was her neighbor's number. "Hi, Geep. What can I do for you?" Jenny stopped what she was doing and listened carefully to him. "No, don't. Leave your garage open. I will be there shortly."

Jenny disconnected the call and immediately dialed a number, her heart racing.

"DiNozzo."

"Thunderball."


	91. Chapter 91

A/N: Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate! Thanks for all of the great (or shocked) feedback in your reviews. It's really appreciated. We're really winding down. I have to give a very special thank you to MatteaAM for all of her brainstorming help.

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Earlier New Year's Eve day…

Trent Kort boarded a plane waiting for him at a private airstrip.

The night before he had been found guilty of Rene Benoit's murder and sentenced to life in prison. He'd been told that in the morning he would be transferred to his new "home" - but his men were waiting. They executed his escape flawlessly, killing the transport crew. Kort knew that he probably had a very short window of time before it was discovered, but he was counting on the fact that it was New Year's Eve to perhaps buy him more time.

Now on the airplane, his shackles removed and having changed clothes, he sat down and spoke with one of the men who had helped him escape.

"You were able to locate her?"

The man nodded. "You were right. Once they learned the trial was over, they became sloppy." He handed him a slip of paper. "This address has requested a moving van with its final destination being the home of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It has to be her, right?"

Kort smiled.

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Several hours later…

A member of the U.S. Marshals placed a call to Mary Shannon in Albuquerque. He wasn't pleased when it went straight to voicemail, but he was also anxious to leave the office for the day so he could make it to a party. He knew this guy Kort was a threat to one of her charges, so he left Mary a message about the escape. He then faxed her their news release.

Mary had already left to head over to Jenny's. She never received the message. She never saw the fax.

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Geep and his wife Betsy were in the kitchen, washing dishes.

Betsy noticed some activity next door. "Looks like the neighbors are having company for New Year's Eve. There's that cute girl, Missy. Uh oh. Geep, get over here."

He quickly joined his wife, looking discreetly out the window as five men swarmed the car where the young girl had been, holding her forcefully. Geep could tell they were all carrying weapons. Something told him he should call Catherine first, before calling the police. He needed to warn her if she was home.

He dialed her cell phone.

"Hi, Geep. What can I do for you?"

"Catherine, five men have just grabbed your young friend Missy in your front yard, and they're carrying guns. Do you want me to call the police?"

"No, don't. Leave your garage open. I will be there shortly."

He hung up the phone, not sure what to make of her response. But he did as she asked. He went to open his garage, which was luckily on the opposite side of the house from the side next to Catherine's home.

"Betsy, keep an eye out for Catherine. I'm going to get our weapons."

Betsy swallowed and nodded.

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Gibbs turned when he heard the door open, relieved that Missy was back - until he saw the gun pointed at her head. He didn't recognize the man with her but he did recognize the one behind him - Trent Kort.

"Don't do anything stupid, Gibbs. You wouldn't want anything to happen to this sweet little girl, would you?"

Gibbs' heart was pounding. He was cursing himself for letting this happen. He quickly glanced at Mary and saw her panicked expression.

"What the hell -"

"Shut up, Ryan. Go sit down." Gibbs turned his attention back to Kort and the four other men who were now in his house. He watched helplessly as one of them, gun drawn, ran upstairs. "Let the girl and these others go, Kort. You're not here for them."

Missy was shaking and trying hard not to cry. She looked at Gibbs, fear in her eyes.

"True, but they'll do for now." He looked over at the others and spotted Julia. He walked towards her. "A baby? Well, well, well… where did you come from little one?"

"She's mine," insisted Mary. She then grabbed hold of Ryan's arm. "Ours, actually."

"Let them go, Kort. Your beef isn't with them. I'll be enough to get you who you want."

The gunman from upstairs returned. "She's lying. The baby lives here. Tons of stuff set up in the bedroom for a baby."

Gibbs could barely breathe, he was filled with such rage - and fear.

Kort laughed. "Aren't you two a little old to be procreating?" When Gibbs didn't take the bait, he frowned. "Where is she?"

Gibbs would only glare at him.

Kort walked over and grabbed Julia's infant seat. When Gibbs went after him one of the other gunmen pointed his weapon in his face.

Trent shook his head. "That really wasn't a smart move. I think you're going to behave because if not, I will give instructions to kill… her? Is this a girl? Green can go either way." When Gibbs remained silent, Kort tired of him. He handed Julia off to one of his men. "Take her upstairs. Stay with her. If you hear any scuffle down here… shoot her."

"There won't be any trouble, Kort." Gibbs watched helplessly as his daughter was taken upstairs.

"Oh, I know there won't." Kort motioned for Missy to go join Mary and Ryan on the couch. He then looked at one of the other assassins. "You, get on the roof. If you spot her, shoot her only to wound. She's mine to kill."

Ryan looked at Mary, his eyes going wide. She motioned for him to keep quiet.

Kort looked at the other two men. "Tie them all up."

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"Thunderball."

Tony's face fell. He covered the phone and yelled, "Thunderball."

It took a second for it to register for Ziva and McGee. Ziva ran to Tony's desk and McGee headed straight to MTAC to get things set up.

"We'll head up to MTAC and get eyes on your house. What's going on?"

Jenny's heart rate was through the roof. "I have to find out. My neighbor counted five gunmen approaching my house, already took a young friend hostage. I'm on my way there. I need to know if that's the amount you see, how many bodies are in the house. Also, please inform the main office of the Marshals and get everyone on-line. I will call back when I can better access the situation. Please let SecNav know as well. And send me back up but let them know _I_ am in charge. I don't want them blowing this."

"On it, Jenny. We'll get you all through this."

"I hope so," she said, her voice cracking a bit. She clicked off the Bluetooth and drove like a maniac until she got to her street. She made it to Geep's garage without passing her own home.

Back at NCIS, Tony's cell phone rang.

"DiNozzo."

"It's Fornell. We have a problem. I just got word that Kort escaped this morning, his entire transport team was killed."

"I know where he is. He's already at their house along with four other gunmen."

"Damn it. I'll notify the FBI to head to the house. Anything else you need from me?"

"Jenny's calling me back in a few minutes. She wasn't there at the time. I'm already in MTAC. Can you get over here?"

"On my way."

Tony clicked the phone off just as another call came in. "DiNozzo."

"What do you have for me, Tony?' Jenny was looking at Geep's weapon supply.

"It's Kort. He escaped this morning."

"Shit!"

"I don't know if this is good news or not, but he probably won't hurt anyone. You're the one he wants."

"Jethro and Julia are there, Tony. There's nothing good about this." Jenny's voice was becoming shrill. She was trying very hard to sound calm but her she was scared to death for her husband and daughter.

Geep looked at her. "Do you know how to use a gun?"

Finally something to calm her down. Firearms. "I've done undercover ops throughout Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Yeah, I know how to use a gun."

Tony was confused. "Who's there with you?"

"My neighbor, former Army man." She turned back to Geep. "If you don't want to, I'd understand perfectly but any chance you'd consider helping me?"

"Absolutely."

"OK, Tony, there's now two of us. Any idea where the backup is?"

Tony looked at McGee, who shook his head. "Why?"

"Huge accident. Big traffic jam. They're at least 20 minutes out."

"Shit." Tony was pissed.

"Talk to me, Tony."

"They're about 20 minutes out."

"Then it's up to us. Tony, am I only talking with you or can others there hear me?"

"Just me at the moment; you want to be patched in?"

"Please."

Tony motioned to McGee to work his magic. "OK, go ahead."

"Work with me, guys. McGee, can you hack into our surveillance cameras? As far as I can tell, there's one guy on the roof. He must be looking out for my car. Can you tell from a heat scan where my daughter is?"

Geep ran to the other end of his house to check something out.

"Jenny, it looks like she might be on your second floor, along with an adult, who looks to be holding something - I'm going to guess a large gun."

She shuddered.

Geep ran back over. "Your bedroom window is open. I think the guy is smoking. If we can get up on the small overhang on your deck, we could probably shoot the guy, grab your daughter and bring her back here to safety.

Jenny ran it through her mind. "That could actually work. But we have to get the guy on the roof first without alerting everyone. Do you have a gun with a silencer?" Geep shook his head.

McGee spoke up. "Jenny, I did include one in the briefcase I sent back with you two."

"But that's in the house. I know we hid some things outside in case of something like this, but I don't think the silencer was one of them. Damn."

Ziva got an idea. "Does anyone have a drum? Or maybe a trashcan lid that could be struck?"

Jenny was understanding what Ziva meant. "Your trashcan has one of those metal lids, right?" This time Geep nodded yes.

Jenny looked at her phone. "My call waiting is coming in. It's Jethro. I'll call you back."

McGee spoke up, "Just switch over. We'll monitor."

Jenny switched the call over, trying to steady herself. "Hey there."

Gibbs felt miserable. He tried to figure out a way he could tip off Jenny without Kort realizing it. Since they never used names, he was hoping she'd catch on. "Jen, when do you think you'll be getting home?"

Gibbs saw Mary and Ryan whispering, and he hoped they weren't planning anything stupid.

Jenny took a deep breath, trying to sound as relaxed as she could. But she knew damn well the only way he'd make this call to lure her there was if Kort was threatening their daughter. "Well, I still have a couple of errands. Have to pick up that Thunderball DVD for us to watch tonight. How's Julia?"

Gibbs made sure he didn't have a reaction, but inside his heart was racing. _She already knows. Thank God._ "She's sleeping upstairs." Kort motioned to him to insist she come home sooner. "Everyone's here already, and we're waiting on you to eat. So come back as soon as you can."

"Give me about 20 minutes and I'll be there… with _everything_."

"Great. I'm glad you've got… _everything_. See you soon."

Kort closed the phone. "Thank you for cooperating. Guess everyone here gets to live for at least another 20 minutes."

Gibbs swallowed hard. At least if the worst happened, they had been able to say how much they loved each other.


	92. Chapter 92

A/N: The Seal song, "Crazy," helped set the mood for me to write this one. Hope you've enjoyed the ride. Thanks for the feedback - I adore hearing what you guys think! A special shout out to AliyahNCIS for her beta help once again - thank you!

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Jenny and Geep finalized their plan, with input from Fornell and Tony. Geep went outside and pounded the trashcan lid while yelling at the supposed birds in his tree, drawing the attention of the gunman sitting in position on the roof.

Jenny, poised in Geep's second floor window, aimed the scope of his sniper's rifle at the assassin's head. She determined the rhythm of Geep's pounding and timed her shot accordingly, killing her target instantly. "One down."

Everyone gathered at MTAC felt helpless simply listening to the action but were relieved the first step went smoothly. Jenny kept her phone on, but would soon need to go silent. They were able to still communicate with her and Geep, who was also wearing a Bluetooth for his phone, conferenced in with Jenny and MTAC thanks to McGee.

"What is happening outside?" Kort was getting irritated. He sent one of the two men he had with him downstairs to look out the window.

"There's some old guy yelling at his tree, banging something."

Gibbs' hands were tied behind his back, and he was seated on one of the kitchen table chairs now set in the living room. He had no idea what Jenny was doing but he had a feeling he needed to say something to get them away from Geep. "Our neighbor has problems with birds stealing the fruit from his trees."

Kort furrowed his brow. "How suburban."

Mary was making a little progress on the rope tying her hands. She had gotten Ryan to help her with it, but then they were worried it would be too obvious so now she was trying by herself.

Mary, who was seated between Ryan and Missy, leaned over to the young girl. "I want you to close your eyes and keep them closed until someone tells you that you can open them."

Closing her eyes was the last thing she wanted to do. "Why?"

Mary was remembering why children bugged her so much. They weren't great at taking orders. "Because you could end up seeing things that could scar you for life, so just do it!"

"Stop talking." Kort wasn't happy. He walked over to the couch to look at them all and was not pleased to see the progress Mary had made on her bindings. "Well, aren't you the resourceful one?" He looked at her more closely. "You were with her in the courtroom, weren't you? Who are you?"

Mary glared at him, refusing to speak.

"No matter. Get up." Kort grabbed her arm, lifting her off the couch. He tightened up the rope around her wrist and then threw her at the foot of the stairs. "Don't want to talk to me and yet you wouldn't shut up over there? Fine then. Sit in the corner and talk to no one."

Outside, Geep had gotten his short step ladder, which helped them jump the fence into Jenny's yard. She immediately went to the lockbox by the side of the house, entered the code and checked out the provisions they had in it. Relief flooded her when she spotted the gun with the silencer. She checked to make sure it was loaded and then also grabbed a knife.

"See anything you want or are you set?" she whispered to her new partner.

He shook his head. He was happy with his own gun.

Jenny locked it back up before she headed for the trellis on the side of the house, next to the overhang. She tested it, determining that it could indeed hold her weight. Geep spotted her as she began to climb it, holding his breath until he saw her safely climb onto the overhang. She took out her gun, releasing the safety.

Jenny stood as close as she could to the opened window, her gun drawn. She then reached into her pocket to find the pebbles she had retrieved a few minutes prior for this purpose. She tossed them across the overhang, hoping to draw the attention of the man inside. Sure enough, he stuck his head out the window to investigate and when he did, Jenny shot him immediately in the head.

She looked over the side and made eye contact with Geep, alerting him that it was done. She raised the window all the way and slowly lowered the dead man's body to the floor. She saw that her bedroom was empty, except for Julia. When Jenny laid eyes on her daughter, her heart began to soar.

She entered the room as quietly as she could. She was incredibly grateful that Julia was asleep. She kissed her forehead before hurrying around the room to look for what was needed. She shoved two diapers in the infant seat with her and also a blanket to keep her warm. Jenny was regretting not having a fridge upstairs to store expressed milk and hoped that what she was about to do wouldn't take very long. She placed Julia near the window, away from the dead body. Jenny eased her way back outside onto the overhang. Grabbing the infant seat with Julia in it, Jenny then lowered it into Geep's waiting hands. He then took her to the fence where Betsy was waiting on the other side.

"Betsy, remember to watch out the window. In case something happens, we may need you to call an ambulance." Betsy nodded, kissing her husband briefly before taking her young charge into the house. Jenny watched her go inside, never feeling more happy to see her daughter leave her sight. Now it was time to rescue her baby's father.

"Daughter's safe," Geep whispered, alerting everyone at MTAC.

Tony sighed. _So far, so good._

Gibbs was really regretting that Jenny had broken his finger but it didn't stop him from trying to get the rope off his hands - it just hurt like hell. And he wasn't having a lot of luck. He realized that whatever it was Jenny was planning, it probably would help to have Kort distracted.

So Gibbs had to do something he never enjoyed doing with anyone other than his wife. Talk. "Tell me, Kort. What is your big plan? So you kill her, kill all of us… then what? Why did you waste your time coming here when you could have flown to Europe and gotten away? It doesn't make a lot of sense for such a smart guy like yourself."

Kort furrowed his brow. "Why don't you tell me what the hell is wrong with your boss? I did her a favor by killing Rene. We both know she wanted him dead."

"But then you had to take your role as his replacement a little too seriously. Putting agents at risk all over Europe - ya had to know your old pals at the CIA would find a way to shut you down. I just wish they'd killed you instead. Would have made all our lives a lot easier."

Kort squatted next to him, taking his gun and putting it near Gibbs' temple. "When did you two get together? I'm surprised you had the guts. I always had the impression she was too much woman for you. I regret not getting a taste of her myself."

If there wasn't a gun at his head, Gibbs would have enjoyed head butting Kort into next week. Instead, he was left with only an icy glare.

Jenny, who was at the top of the stairs, winced when she heard Kort's words, knowing what it must be doing to Jethro. She kept her gun raised as she peered down the steps. She spotted Mary and the two women locked eyes. Jenny held up two fingers and then made a motion across her throat, indicating they were dead.

Now was the tough part. Jenny needed to have another gunman lured upstairs. But then she needed to have him distracted. She was too nervous to use the gun, even with the silencer, that close to Kort. She was going to have to do this with the knife. Jenny did her best to convey what she needed from Mary to her. Mary looked at the others and seeing that neither Kort or the other two men were looking at her, she nodded to Jenny.

Gibbs saw Mary nod and his pulse quickened. Jenny had made it into the house. It was killing him to not be more help. He realized he should continue trying to distract Kort. "Tell me, Trent, since you're going to kill me anyway - how about finally sharing the truth about what happened to Jasper Shepard." Gibbs realized too late that might not have been the best tact to take - what if it distracted Jenny too?

But Jenny was no longer listening. She had gone back in the bedroom, gotten up on the bed and jumped down really hard. She then did her best to groan in a deep voice. She then ran quietly back to the stairs to wait.

Kort was about to answer Gibbs when he heard the noise. "What the hell is going on up there, Jacque?" He rolled his eyes and motioned for one of the two men with him to check it out.

When the guy was almost at the top of the stairs, Mary quickly yelled out, "Hey!"

The guy turned around to face Mary. In a flash, Jenny slit his throat with her knife and grabbed his body before it could fall to the ground. She carefully placed it down.

Kort turned to Mary. "Hey what?"

"Hey, I'm hungry. Is your giant plan to starve us to death?"

He sighed. "Hunger should really be the least of your worries." Kort turned his attention back to Gibbs. "Jasper Shepard… it always comes back to him, doesn't it?"

Upstairs, Jenny had quickly returned to the bedroom. "Three are dead. That leaves Kort and another gunman with all of the hostages. How far out is everyone? Because I don't think I have much time before he realizes the guy I just killed isn't coming back downstairs with a report."

McGee sighed. "Looks to be about 10 more minutes. I'm sorry."

Jenny shook her head. "Geep, I'm going to have to go down there. I will need you to cause a distraction, preferably killing one of the gunmen. Are you in position?"

"Yes."

"Give me a little bit of time to do the same; I will try to make a little noise and that will be your cue."

"Understood." Geep had his gun aimed, waiting for Jenny's prompt.

Jenny began to make her way down the stairs very slowly. She heard Gibbs and Kort talking.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to share now. You were right," Kort said, rolling his eyes. "Jasper Shepard was indeed murdered, but not by La Grenouille."

Jenny's breath caught in her throat.

"Then by who?" asked Gibbs.

"I had to prove myself to Rene. He was angry when Shepard wouldn't take the bribe and threatened to go public. I had just started my assignment with him and saw it as a way to prove my worth. I really should thank the director's father. Killing him solidified my cover."

Jenny's blood went cold. She swallowed hard and then made a little noise.

Geep fired off a round, immediately taking out the other gunman but before he was able to shoot at his next target, Kort shot him and then did a dive roll turning to where he knew there was probably another shooter, firing without really looking, nailing Jenny in the leg before she had fully made it around the corner to shoot him.

She fell to the ground near the end table. She grabbed her leg and screamed in pain.

Kort was up in a flash, grabbing her gun. He then searched her, found her knife and took that too. He also removed her phone and Bluetooth.

"Whomever is on the other end of this, you're too late. Consider everyone here dead." He then disconnected the call.

Kort yelled upstairs, "Jacque? Robert?"

Jenny continued to hold her leg, obviously in a great deal of pain - but through gritted teeth she managed, "Consider them all dead. And our daughter is safe." She looked at Gibbs and saw his relief.

When Kort turned his attention away from her for a moment, Jenny winked at Gibbs. He knew something was up; that even if she had been in such pain, she never would have allowed Kort to see it. He quickly understood what she was doing and knew what he had to do. Gibbs began rocking his chair, tipping himself over.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Kort.

As his attention was diverted, Jenny quickly reached under the end table, grabbed the knife she had stashed there and immediately threw it expertly into Kort's chest.

"_That_ was for making these people suffer and shooting my friend," she said, noting the surprised look on his face. She walked over to him and kneed him in the balls, making him moan in pain. "_That _was for humiliating my husband and making him feel helpless." She then punched him squarely in the jaw. "_That _was for turning my life upside down." She then took the knife and twisted it as she watched him sink to the ground dead. "And _that _was for killing my father as well as daring to breathe the same air as my daughter." She then kicked him for good measure.

"Honey, I think he's dead."

Jenny was breathing heavy, having let loose all of her pent up frustration and anger that had built up over the last year and a half. She grabbed her other knife back that Kort had taken and used it to free Jethro.

He stood up and immediately held her in his arms. "God I love you."

She kissed him briefly. "I love you too." She was relieved when she heard all the sirens approaching, hoping there was an ambulance there for Geep.

Ryan looked at her, completely confused. "Catherine, what the hell -"

She stopped him. "I'm not Catherine. Catherine never existed."

She looked at Gibbs, who was untying Missy, and smiled.

Ryan's eyes went wide. "Then who are you?"

"Jenny Shepard, Director of NCIS."

**** THE END ****

A/N: Can't believe "A New Life" is over. Thank you everyone who stuck with me through this. The way you've embraced this world I created means so much. Their tale will continue with a direct pick-up from this chapter, in a new story that will be called, "A Life Reclaimed." It should start up sometime in the middle of next week.


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